Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for attending. I wish all the pupils around the country, including my own kids, the best of luck going back to school. I am particularly thinking of those who are going into unacceptable accommodation. There are quite a lot of them.

Many of the statements from the management bodies and schools speak for themselves. What struck me about Ms Ryan's contribution was that people seem to be absolving themselves of responsibility for rezoning. There was a clear answer on rezoning from Mr. Hogan, namely that it is a matter for councillors. The council seems to be saying the Department has to tell it to do something. That was never my understanding and Mr. Hogan has cleared the matter up. We cannot comment on planning applications but perhaps we could have a comment on whether local authorities have to get the go-ahead from the Department of Education and Skills to zone land for purposes related to education. That seems to be what was stated. It may be the practice in local authorities and I have certainly come across it, but it does not seem to be the law as laid down in the planning Acts in respect of zoning. Local authorities and the County and City Management Association will want to listen to what Mr. Hogan and, I suspect, Mr. Loftus say today, namely that they do not get involved unless perhaps they want to reserve a site for schools as a matter of priority.

Councillors need to start asserting themselves. As Mr. Hogan said, they have the powers to zone land when development plans come up and, in certain circumstances, to dezone land, as well as being able to make changes to development plans.

I would like to ask Mr. Loftus about the announcement last April regarding 42 schools based on demographics. We have heard little about them. There have been patronage processes for less than a handful over the summer. I ask for an update on the process. None of the schools appears on the Department of Education and Skills school building list, which is extraordinary. The list appears to refer to old projects. I would love some clarity.

Does Mr. Loftus not think it extraordinary that the Department of Education and Skills does not provide for playing pitches when it is building new schools? I discussed this in the national media and the interviewer was shocked that this was the policy. When the State and religious orders were building schools in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, when we did not have two pennies to rub together, playing pitches seemed to be standard but they are not now. Is there a reason for that? Can we expect a change of policy?

Will Mr. Hogan and Mr. Loftus say how often the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government and the Department of Education and Skills meet to discuss the need for new schools around the country? Is there a cross-departmental working group?

Does Mr. Loftus know how many new applicants have appeared on the list for major school building works over the past six months, on top of everything we know about? Is demand increasing? Does he expect an increased budget for school buildings? Does he believe it is needed? Does he believe that the school building programme, as set out, is adequate for the needs of our students?