asked the Minister for Education when a new national school will be built in Forsses, County Donegal.

Sketch plans prepared by the school authorities architect for the proposed new national school at Frosses, County Donegal, have been approved, and a grant will be sanctioned towards the cost of the project when agreement has been reached regarding the local contribution to be provided.

At this stage of planning it is not possible to say when building will commence.

Deputy Coughlan has asked me to convey his apologies and to put a question to the Minister on his behalf. How much would the local contribution amount to and what is the projected time for the commencement of the building?

It is not the practice to disclose the amount of the contribution because it is a matter between the officials of my Department and the chairman of the board of management. This has been the practice for as long as I am aware and therefore I cannot disclose what the local contribution would be. In any event, it is negotiable. Assuming early agreement on the local contribution, the further stages of planning would be the preparation of working drawings and final contract documentation. This is likely to occupy the balance of the current year. Then there is the question of putting it to tender.

Do I understand the Minister is talking about a timetable of mid-1984?

I do not want to give a specific date because it will depend upon a number of other agencies such as the Office of Public Works and the local board of management. I have given an indication of the stages which must be gone through before the project goes to contract and it would be foolish to give a specific date. When it goes to contract it is for the board of management and the contractor to decide when work will commence.