Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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206. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 211 of 6 November 2014, the compensation that was paid by her Department in reaching the deal with the owner; the conditions that were put into the agreement to ensure that the building will be restored to its original state; the condition that was put into the agreement to ensure that there will be interaction between the local authority and the owner to ensure the completion of the works; the responsibility the local authority has in regard to this decision of her Department; if there has been any agreement between her Department and the local authority regarding the actual agreement and the extent the local authority has in regard to it; the location the agreement between the Department and the owner may be inspected or obtained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43737/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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As previously advised in a reply to the Deputy in March and November 2014, prior to the surrender of the lease which was in place and following discussions between officials of my Department and representatives of the owners of the property to which he refers, an agreement was reached in December 2013 to surrender the building to the owners of the property. This agreement provided that the owners of the building undertook to restore the premises to the satisfaction and requirements of the local authority.

The Deputy will appreciate that the sum paid to and the agreement with the property owners is commercially sensitive and in the circumstances I am not in a position to disclose this information. The sum paid at the time of surrender of the lease reflected my obligations under the lease, subsequent to the extensive damage caused by the fire.

In January 2014, the local authority was notified that the Department had signed the formal agreement to surrender the property to the landlord as well as the fact that the landlord had given an undertaking to restore the property to the satisfaction and requirements of the local authority.

Statutory responsibility for the enforcement of the planning and other relevant legislation with regard to works to this property falls within the remit of the local authority.