Michael Kennedy (Dublin North, Fianna Fail)
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Question 332: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the construction of a sports and recreation centre on lands at a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; the reason for delays; if the VEC is aware of the situation; when the project will commence and is expected to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28065/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The project to which the Deputy refers is a completely new school planned for the Fingal area. As the Deputy will be aware, the Department been working for some time with Fingal County Council on the acquisition of sites to enable new schools to open throughout its area of functionality in the coming years.

The ability of the Department to open these schools is contingent on the sites being acquired by the local authority in accordance with its agreement with my Department. My Department is encouraged by the Council's recent positive statement in relation to the progress being made in this regard. The schools will be provided in areas to meet the needs arising from the local authority's own County Development Plan and its various Local Area Development Plans.

The Deputy will appreciate that due to commercial sensitivities, I cannot comment on specific sites at this time, however, I can assure the Deputy that the Department will continue to work very closely with Fingal County Council to meet the needs of the Fingal area for next year and beyond. A timescale for the delivery of the school to which the Deputy refers can only be set when the land has been acquired, however, I can confirm, that it is the intention to provide shared community facilities on the site.