Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 30 Jun 1999

Vol. 507 No. 3

Written Answers. - Schools Building Projects.

Emmet Stagg

Ceist:

186 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will instruct officials in his primary building unit to enter into discussions with Kildare County Council with a view to purchasing a site for the new school at Ballymackealy, Celbridge, County Kildare, which will enable the preparation of plans and seeking of planning permission for the permanent school in view of the fact that the long-term accommodation brief has been set for the north Kildare national school project in Celbridge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16831/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

My Department wrote to Kildare County Council on 7 May 1999 expressing an interest in purchasing the site at Ballymackealy for the proposed new school. The council was asked to forward a map outlining the area available, a statement of the situation relating to planning permission for a school, the proposed access routes to the site and to state the asking price for the land.

The council has recently responded stating that it is willing to dispose of the site to the Department and has provided information on the access routes, etc. However, it is not in a position to indicate an asking price until it has undertaken a valuation and I understand that this is now being done. The Deputy will appreciate that the minimum requirement to conclude negotiations for the purchase of land is an indication by the vendor of the asking price.

In the meantime, my Department has appointed a design team to undertake the architectural planning of the project.