Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 February 2007
298 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education and Science the circumstances in which her Department would lease land as a site for a school building; if there are schools built on leased land; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6918/07]
View answerIn general, schools are built on sites that are owned or controlled by school patrons. Alternatively, schools are built on sites that are in the ownership of the Minister for Education, a VEC or the Commissioners for Public Works.
It is not clear whether you are enquiring if my Department would take a lease on land to build a school or if my Department would grant a lease to a third party in order to build a school. I am assuming the former interpretation.
In one case, a school is built on a site that is leased by the Minister for Education on a long-term basis. My Department would (subject to legal advice) consider taking land on a long-term leasehold basis in order to build a school if that were the best option available to procure land for the school in question.
