Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 335: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason it has taken so long to identify a site for a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin. [4352/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 336: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the discussions that have taken place with landowners and South Dublin County Council regarding the provision of a site for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin. [4353/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 337: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on requesting the council to initiate compulsory purchase order proceedings on suitable land in the Saggart area to provide space for the long awaited new building for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4354/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 335, to 337, inclusive, together.

The Department has acknowledged the need to relocate the existing primary school referred to by the Deputy to a greenfield site. The acquisition of a site for this development is being actively pursued with South Dublin County Council and the relevant landowners. When this matter has been finalised, progress on the proposed project can be considered under the School Building and Modernisation Programme.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 338: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, notwithstanding the proposal for housing at a site (details supplied) in County Dublin, she will request South Dublin County Council to initiate compulsory purchase order proceedings at the site known as the Bull's Field to provide a new school building for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4355/07]

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 339: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her Department has been approached by a company (details supplied) with reference to the package of proposals including the selling of a school site as part of planning permission for 1,600 houses in County Dublin; if a proposed price for the land as part of this package has been put on the table in any way shape or form; if this price would be more costly than the price paid by means of a compulsory purchase order at agricultural prices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4356/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 338 and 339 together.

The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works, which acts on behalf of the Department in relation to site acquisitions generally, has been asked to source a site for the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of site options have emerged and the Department is awaiting a report from the OPW which will identify a preferred site option. In the circumstances, the issue of a compulsory purchase does not arise in relation to this matter at this time.

The Department has no knowledge of the other development proposals referred to by the Deputy. Normally, however, a local authority will ask the Department if it is willing to release a school site reservation before it takes any decision to re-zone the land. In addition, a development of the size in question is likely to be the subject of an area development plan and the local authority is obliged by Statute to forward such plans to the Department for comment in the context of educational requirements for the area.