Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1391: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress in regard to the commitment given in the programme for Government to improve the arrangements for acquiring sites. [47949/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The programme for Government sets out a number of measures in relation to school provision including improving arrangements for the planning for new schools.

Together with my colleague Minister Gormley, a Code of Practice on the Provision of Schools and the planning system was published in July 2008. This sets out a series of agreed actions between my Department and the planning authorities such as:

Forecasting Future Education Demand;

Planning for New Schools through Local Authority Development Plans;

Location of Schools;

Site Development Standards;

School Development Proposals and the Development Management Process; and

School Site Identification and Acquisition.

The Code of Practice, which was agreed between the respective Departments, in conjunction with the City and County Managers' Association, was issued as statutory guidelines under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000.