Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

I ask the Minister again why he needs 150 acres at the exorbitant price of €30 million, which is six, seven or even eight times the cost of land that is not zoned. If the land is not developed it will have to be sold on those terms. Will it be possible to build on the land, considering Fingal County Council is declaring a conservation area? The council is involved in a survey of archaeological and historical sites in the area. Will the Minister comment on that? The Grangegorman site has 65 acres, 35 being playing fields and 30 suitable for buildings. It envisages a student population of 20,000 to 30,000 with less than half the acreage of Thornton Hall. The site certainly seems large and it does not seem much of it can be built on.

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