Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 46: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the sites which have been acquired or designated for new schools under the Fingal school model agreement announced in September 2007. [28562/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Land has been acquired as a result of my Department and Fingal County Council working in partnership over the past number of years. The focus is on finalising arrangements for sites needed for the next school year.

The innovations in the design and delivery of school buildings put in place in recent years mean that once the land has been acquired, we can provide school accommodation quickly. While Fingal County Council is working on the acquisition of sites, my Department has tendered for a contractor capable of delivering new schools within an on-site construction time of four months. My Department has been in regular contact with local authority staff regarding the status of the sites we have asked them to acquire.

Last September, I met the council manager and others to discuss progress. While the meeting gave rise to considerable media attention, it was not the start of the co-operation between the Department and the council, which has been ongoing for some time. Two years ago, the Department and the council agreed to develop a new model of partnership for providing school and community facilities. Under the terms of the Fingal school agreement, the local authority has undertaken to identify and acquire appropriate sites for schools as recommended by the Department. The design of the schools will be varied to meet community needs, including enhanced facilities, etc.

As site acquisitions can be commercially sensitive, my Department does not generally provide specific details in advance of contracts being signed. Once the contracts have been signed, the information can be released in the normal way.

While the scale of the work under way in Fingal is extensive because of rapid population growth in that area, my Department has developed much closer working relations generally with local authorities in recent years, particularly in rapidly developing areas. In addition to meeting the Fingal County Council manager, I met the county managers of Meath and Kildare and am arranging to meet the managers of South Dublin County Council and Westmeath County Council to follow up on what is required in terms of planning. I met the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to discuss how the programme for Government commitments in respect of school planning and land acquisition can be progressed.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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This is curious. I asked the Minister to tell the House which 13 sites the Department or the council has acquired for the purpose of the Fingal agreement. Splashed all over the national media in September was a firm commitment that 13 schools would be built and up and running by 1 September 2008. Does the Minister stand by this commitment? If so, why can she not inform Dáil Éireann of the specific sites or their general locations?

The timeframe is ambitious. If the Minister was serious when she told the House that individual planning applications in respect of the 13 schools, which will be built off-site, would take at least three months, will the sites be ready for Fingal's children by 1 September 2008?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I did not hold or arrange a press briefing. Fingal County Council organised it.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Is the council leading us astray?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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For the past couple of years, we have been working closely with the council regarding these sites. Site acquisitions are commercially sensitive and the amount of available land in many developed areas is limited. I cannot give specific details as to which sites are in play.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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What about locations such as Blanchardstown and Castleknock?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The general areas under consideration include Balbriggan, Skerries, Donabate, Lusk, Swords and the Dublin 15 area. Fingal County Council is working on the Department's behalf to acquire sites. We are further along in some cases than in others, but there is good co-operation. For commercial reasons, I am not in a position to give the details of individual sites.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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How many of the 13 schools referred to in the Fingal model agreement have reached the planning application stage? Will the Minister give a definitive answer as to whether she is giving a commitment to the Dáil that the 13 schools in the agreement between the Department and the council, irrespective of last September's press conference, will be built and up and running by 1 September 2008? It is a straightforward question. I am not interested in the Gettysburg address.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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All schools that must be built are subject to site acquisitions, planning permission and construction. We are working actively in all three respects.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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What about the 13 schools?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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They were announced by Fingal County Council, not by me.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Another pipe dream.