Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Finance the length of time it took for the Office of Public Works to identify a suitable site for a new school development in Ballygarvan, County Cork. [9067/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 178: To ask the Minister for Finance the length of time it took for the Office of Public Works, having identified a suitable site for a new school development in Ballygarvan, County Cork, to have subsequently inspected it. [9068/05]

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for Finance the reason an alternative site for a new school development was deemed unsuitable by the Office of Public Works. [9069/05]

Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 177 to 179, inclusive, together.

The Commissioners of Public Works act as agent on behalf of the Department of Education and Science in the acquisition of sites for new school facilities. The Department initially requested the Office of Public Works to acquire a site for the above purpose on 23 May 2000. Normally the Commissioners of Public Works advertise publicly for suitable site options. However, in this case the Department forwarded a number of site options with the request. These were assessed in terms of their technical suitability. On foot of that assessment, a configuration of three sites was identified as the most suitable option in July 2001.

Due to a lack of funding availability, negotiations for the acquisitions were put on hold in February 2003. The Department instructed my office to recommence negotiations in May 2004, which are ongoing. It is expected to finalise the matter at an early date should agreement on price be achievable.