Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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243. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the level of pre-planning consultation that was carried out by her Department in respect of a planning application (details supplied); if this pre-planning consultation was conducted by permanent staff of the building unit in her Department or by agents acting on her behalf; if following this pre-planning consultation her Department was confident given the pre-planning consultation outcomes that planning permission would issue; the persons in the local authority her Department consulted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [60997/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department engages the services of a professional Project Manager and Design Team to assist with the provision of interim accommodation for the establishment of new schools including the school referred to by the Deputy. Our Project Manager and their team did have a standard pre-planning consultation with the local authority.

However, as with any planning application, there are a number of issues which may be outside of my Department's control which can impact the final decision of the local authority on the granting of planning permission including third party observations/objections.

My Department had no reason to believe, prior to the planning application, that planning permission might be refused in this instance. The pre-planning meeting was held with the appropriate planning personnel within the Local Authority.