James O'Connor (Cork East, Fianna Fail)
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154. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the building and design unit of her Department has had engagement with local authorities in the zoning of appropriate land for educational purposes in areas undergoing formation of new local authority area plans; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33736/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is a statutory consultee to the local authority development planning process and participates actively in the process. The Planning and Building Unit of my Department examines the draft development plans for each  local authority to assess the implications in terms of projected school requirements. My Department then makes a submission at draft plan stage, identifying likely educational requirements and requesting appropriate zoning provision to cater for the projected needs of the particular settlements in a local authority.  At present, local authorities are actively in the process of aligning their development plans to be consistent with the National Planning Framework and my Department is engaging with all draft plans in order to ensure that land is zoned appropriately to meet projected educational requirements.