asked the Minister for Education when she will place a contract for Breaffy national school, County Mayo.

The Deputy is understood to refer to the Breaffy national school, Ballina, County Mayo. If that be the case, I am happy to be able to tell him that my Department are in the process of concluding a contract with the successful tenderer, to whom the usual letter of tender acceptance has been issued.

I thank the Minister for the very welcome news that the Department are in the process of concluding a contract. In view of the fact that this is an expanding school which was commenced in 1902, that accommodation is provided in two substandard prefabricated buildings, one a Portacabin, that there are 182 pupils on the roll and that there is pressure created because of a shortage of accommodation, is the Minister in a position to guarantee that the signing of the contract will not be a protracted and deliberately dragged out process? Is he in a position to give a commencing date and, hopefully, a date for the completion of the project?

The letter in question issued to the contractor on 8 June 1987 and the initiative is with him at this stage. As far as the Department are concerned, we are ready to proceed with the work.