asked the Minister for Local Government when he expects to be in a position to confirm a compulsory purchase order on lands at Coolmine, Blanchardstown, County Dublin, which are required urgently for a community school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Dublin CPOs.
40.
This Order is at present under consideration in my Department and my decision thereon will be conveyed as soon as possible.
May I ask the Parliamentary Secretary what that means because to my knowledge it has been under consideration for a very long time? It is holding up the provision of a community school in this area and, therefore, is a serious matter.
That is not correct. The land involved has two aspects to it. First, there are objections to compulsory purchase to one section but not to the other.
There is no offer to sell by agreement these 50 acres that I am talking about. If there was such an offer, it would have been taken up long ago.
There are two objectors here and the inspector who carried out the oral hearing reported to the Department in February of this year. The report is under consideration. I am sorry, my original supplementary reply was to a later question.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary give me any idea when there is likely to be a decision?
The report is with the Department and we shall give a decision on it as soon as possible.
41.
asked the Minister for Local Government when he expects to be in a position to confirm a compulsory purchase order on lands at Swords, County Dublin which are required urgently for housing and a vocational school.
I assume that the question refers to the Dublin County Council Compulsory Purchase (Housing Act 1966) No. 1 Order 1969. The unopposed portion of this compulsory purchase order was confirmed by me on the 13th January, 1971. The remaining portion in respect of which an objection was received was the subject of a public local inquiry which was adjourned sine die with the consent of both parties to enable negotiations to take place. These negotiations were unsuccessful and the inquiry was reopened on the 16th December, 1971. I will convey my decision in the matter as soon as possible.
Again, is the Parliamentary Secretary aware that this is holding up the building of the school?
No, this one is not because the school is to be located on the section of the land in respect of which agreement was reached and in respect of which compulsory purchase was not, therefore, necessary.
May I inform the Parliamentary Secretary that I am chairman of the vocational education committee concerned?
I am giving the Deputy the facts.
The Parliamentary Secretary is not aware of the facts but I am aware of them.
The Deputy is not prepared to accept the facts.
It is deplorable that the Parliamentary Secretary comes in here not knowing what is happening.
I am calling Question No. 42.
The proposal is to build a school on part of the land which is not now the subject of a compulsory purchase order.
The only reason that it is proposed to build on the other site is because of the failure to get a confirmation order from the Department. I should know the position since I am chairman of the committee.
That does not mean anything so far as my reply is concerned.
It means that the Parliamentary Secretary does not know what he is talking about.
42.
asked the Minister for Local Government how many compulsory purchase orders from Dublin County Council are awaiting confirmation in his Department.
There are at present 16 compulsory purchase orders from Dublin County Council before my Department. In four of these action has been deferred at the request of the local authority.
Can the Parliamentary Secretary say for how long, approximately, these orders will be deferred? It is because the Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary cannot make decisions that there is wholesale holding-up of development in the county.
Four of them have been withdrawn.
At the request of the Department.
No, two of them were withdrawn at the request of the owners and two at the request of the local authority.
They cannot all be withdrawing a compulsory purchase order. That is the limit.
It is the corporation the Deputy is thinking of, the meetings of which only one man attends.