asked the Minister for Education whether, in the light of developments in the Convent of Mercy Secondary School at Rosscarbery, County Cork, he will now sanction in principle the proposed reconstruction and extension there.

9.

asked the Minister for Education if his Department will grant-aid the new classroom accommodation at the Convent of Mercy, Rosscarbery, County Cork.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 9 together.

I have approved in principle the development of this school to cater for 350 pupil places and to grant-aid the project under the scheme of building grants for secondary schools.

A report on the condition of the existing buildings was received from the school authorities on 28 April 1981. The report is now being examined and will be followed shortly by the initiation of architectural planning.

I am putting my question to the Minister in a non-political way because my colleague, Deputy Walsh, is also interested in the matter although he is not here today. Will the Minister agree that there is a great degree of urgency in getting the plans under way? There are considerable pressures that I do not wish to highlight publicly and, as a result, I believe it is very important that this project should get under way with the minimum of delay.

I agree totally with the Deputy, as I agreed with him in private on the matter.

Will the Minister do whatever is necessary to ensure that there will be no further delay, in particular in getting the architectural plans under way?

Certainly.