Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her views on the exceptionally high cost of sites acquired by the State for primary and secondary schools; her plans to ensure better value for money in regard to the acquisition of such sites; if the Government has considered the introduction of compulsory purchase powers to acquire sites urgently needed for educational purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21616/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The cost of any site is determined both by the amount of land required to accommodate the size of the school together with the value of land pertaining in the actual location of the proposed school. The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works acts on behalf of the Department in relation to site acquisitions generally. In certain circumstances local authorities also acquire sites on behalf of my Department.

The use of compulsory purchase procedures can be quite protracted and it would not necessarily mean the faster acquisition of sites. Neither would compulsory purchase orders mean the acquisition of sites at a price below market value. In all cases my Department undertakes a valuations of the sites prior to purchase and acquisitions are pursued on the basis of this valuation.