asked the Minister for Education when the proposal for the development of second-level education at Kells, County Meath, was submitted, the action taken so far and when it is expected the building work will commence.

Discussions have been held with the appropriate educational authorities on a proposal, made at the end of March 1977, to provide a new community school for all the boys of the area and to provide places for all the girls at the Convent of Mercy secondary school.

Discussion of the precise arrangements which will be made to implement this proposal has not yet been concluded and I am not, accordingly, in a position to say when the building work will commence.

Is the Minister aware that he said, in reply to a question on 2 May last year, that those discussions were about to commence? When does he expect them to be brought to a conclusion? Can any conclusion on them be reached before the matter of the deed of trust is settled?

The matter of the deed of trust is an important one but we can in the not too distant future come to a final decision on the development of post-primary education in Kells.

Has the matter of the local contribution been settled yet?

The matter of the local contribution in general has not been settled.

8.