Damien English (Meath, Fine Gael)
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Question 547: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she will submit a planning application for a sports hall at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; if a pre-planning discussion has been held with Fingal County Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4061/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The proposed PE Hall project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. This project was one that I announced in May 2006 to progress to tender and construction.

The Design Team have been requested to submit a combined Stage 2/3 submission. When this documentation is received in my Department my Officials will arrange a meeting with the School Authorities and their Design Team in order to evaluate the documentation. It is envisaged that unless there are very exceptional circumstances involved, the meeting will be sufficient to authorise the project to progress to the next stage of architectural planning.

My Department recommends that the Design Team have pre-planning discussions as part of preparation of Stage 3 documentation. Planning Permission is normally applied for as part of Stage 4 of architectural planning. Approval to progress to Stage 4/5 is given by my Department as soon as Stage 3 is cleared.