Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1393: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the Designation of Lands Act will include provisions relating to new school sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2241/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1396: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when the Designated Lands Bill will be published; when the heads of the bill were agreed by cabinet; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2268/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1393 and 1396 together.

The Government approved the drafting of the Designated Land (Housing Development) Bill on 1 December 2006. The General Scheme of the Bill, which is under consideration by the office of the Parliamentary Counsel, provides for:

powers for planning authorities to enter into a binding agreement with, or impose requirements on, the owners of designated land in order to bring such land into housing development;

an amended compensation mechanism whereby designated land, if not developed in agreement with, or in accordance with requirements imposed by, the relevant planning authority, could be compulsorily acquired at below market value;

as a possible alternative to compulsorily acquisition, the imposition by planning authorities of an annual development incentive levy on designated land; and

mandatory registration of, and the imposition of a levy on, land purchase options.

Insofar as the integration of housing development with the provision of schools is concerned, I refer to the reply to Question Nos. 1392 and 1406 on today's Order Paper.