Caít Keane (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Minister of State has tried his best to make it sound plausible. He said: "The council has now submitted to my Department a proposal which might serve to provide a satisfactory resolution to the title issues and thereby facilitate the land transfer." Over seven years ago, South Dublin County Council submitted a proposal to the Department of Education and Skills to have the land vested in the Department of Finance. Is that the same proposal that has now been resubmitted? Perhaps the Minister of State does not know as he is answering for the Minister, Deputy Jan O'Sullivan. I would like to have the actual proposal "which might serve to provide a satisfactory resolution" in writing, including the timescale.

Land transfers happen every day of the week. Some builders no longer have the money to buy sites, but transfers of land are carried out every day. I am waiting 15 years for this land title transfer. The Minister said the land was in the ownership of South Dublin County Council. We know the road reservation was there, but the title deeds are the problem. The ownership is no good without the title deeds because the Department of Education and Skills will not put a school on the ground without having title to the site. We do not want a situation as in Merrion Park, where someone comes along later and claims the whole lot. It is important that it is sorted. I want a timescale. This is not worth the paper it is written on, because the same proposal came in years ago. Could the Minister of State respond to me in writing, stating what the proposal is, the timescale and giving more detail?