asked the Minister for Education the up-to-date position regarding the provision of a new national school at Bangor Erris, Ballina, County Mayo.

My Department are informed by the Commissioners of Public Works that planning permission has been obtained for a four classroom school at Bangor Erris, Ballina, County Mayo, and that the preparation of working drawings on this basis will commence shortly.

Is it the enlarged plan or the earlier one? Originally there was a smaller plan. The projected figures showed there was a need for more units of accommodation. Are we talking about the second plan or the first one?

A grant was sanctioned in April 1981 for the erection of a school comprising three classrooms and a general purposes room. However, because of the need for an additional classroom which arose early in 1982 the provision of this fourth classroom necessitated the preparation of a revised sketch plan. It is in relation to the revised plan.

The people of this area would have accepted the first plan if they could have got it and by now they would have a general purposes room and three classrooms. They are afraid that the delay while more sketch plans are prepared for the larger extension will mean that they will be pushed back down the line for the allocation of finance for their extension. The school is in a very perilous condition because of overcrowding.

I do not see any reason for the Deputy's concern. I do not believe the Department imposed this decision. It was a question of numbers. At this stage it is not possible to say when tenders will be invited and when building work will commence on the project. Further arrangements for carrying out this project involve the preparation of working drawings and bills of quantity leading up to the invitation for tenders. The Office of Public Works are involved in the sketch plans and the preparation of working drawings. I do not see any reason why there should be any undue delay.

Was it not suggested in the action plan that the involvement of the Office of Public Works would end, that the work would be carried out by the Department of Education and that we would not have to-ing and fro-ing between the Department and the Office of Public Works?

That does not arise on the question.

Even if it is a separate question I am prepared to give the Deputy my opinion on it. I believe this is very desirable. When the building of the schools is shared between two agencies it is very difficult to give accurate information, through nobody's fault. If the Department had control of the building of primary schools it would be easier to give accurate information. While this is proposed in the action plan it has not yet been finalised.

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