Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A huge range of issues have been raised. I am not fully briefed on Ballinteer but my recollection of previous discussions in the House is that the site chosen was refused planning permission by the local authority, which was confirmed by An Bord Pleanála. Attempts to resolve it resulted in another refusal and an appeal to An Bord Pleanála. There has been particular difficulty in getting resolution to an access problem on the chosen site. I do not know why that occurred and any planning process can run into difficulties.

For managing these projects we have a patronage model and individual patrons run schools and bring forward proposals, for which there is a process within my Department. We are managing it pretty efficiently and we spend all the money we get. We built 22,000 school places last year but, with a budget of that scale with up to €20 million for individual projects, we have to plan our resources and release them in accordance with the budget schedules we have to meet with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. There can be hold-ups in the system, which ensure the spending flow is in accordance with the available resources, and the building unit has developed its approach over time. Nevertheless, I am open to looking at ways in which it can be improved.

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