Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)

Being part of the same local authority area, I know we have a really proactive and ambitious local authority and the members of it want to use every space possible to provide for the community. I also want to make sure we can provide school places. If there is a need in an area and an opportunity to purchase a site or land because of that need, then that it is obviously something that has to be looked at. It is about making sure, insofar as possible, that buildings are not put to waste and we use them in the best way possible. That is particularly the case if something has been used as a school previously. That is looked at if there is a need in an area. We have to take all of those factors into consideration: who owns it; what the need is; what it could be used for; and who the partners are we need to engage with. That always has to be the approach taken.