Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the fact that planning applications have been lodged to build new primary schools on the former Phoenix Park Racecourse and Porterstown Road in Dublin 15, sites have been, or are to be, acquired under the agreement between her Department and Fingal County Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7269/08]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 172: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if, in view of the fact that planning applications have been lodged to build new primary schools on the former Phoenix Park Racecourse and at Porterstown Road in Dublin 15, she has purchased the sites for these schools or if they are still in private ownership. [7270/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, a Developing Areas Unit has been established in the Department of Education and Science to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas including those specifically referred to.

The particular emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in developing areas, while also ensuring the Government's commitment to delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation throughout the country.

The Department is currently pursuing the acquisition of sites under the Fingal School Model Agreement. It is intended to deliver, as Phase I in September 2008, an 8 classroom unit for Phoenix Park and a 16 classroom unit for Porterstown Road, with appropriate ancillary accommodation, subject to conclusion of the legalities surrounding site acquisition and subject to planning permission.

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, including those to which he refers, for next year and beyond.