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

The Deputy does not understand the way this works. Scores of areas had ambitions to have new schools. The Department undertook a demographic exercise looking at the enrolment in existing schools, at birth and at housing developments identified by local authorities. It picked the 42 areas based on that information where it believed the demographic need would have to be met by establishing a new school. That is the process that was completed and the results announced. It was not a site acquisition plan. That was not what was announced and that was clear at the time. The issue of identifying the site is one that the Department works on - as Deputy Byrne knows - with local authorities. In some cases, local authorities designate sites as part of their planning process. That has been the case in a number of areas of Dublin; in others, it has not. We have to work with local authorities and others to identify sites. What I have seen in many cases is that these schools start in temporary accommodation and a site is then identified for their development. That is the way it has been. It works well.

See this speech in context