Lack of sites ‘delaying schools’

THE construction of 200 schools has been delayed because of a shortage of suitable sites, a lobby group claimed yesterday.

Richie Cotter, chairman of Tuismitheóiri/Teagascóiri Le Chéile (TLC) has called on Education Minister Mary Hanafin to list the schools for which her department plans to buy sites this year.

Mr Cotter, who is principal teacher at St Anne’s national school in Shankill, Co Dublin, suggested Ms Hanafin should cap the price of sites for new schools, to prevent land developers inflating prices. He said a shortage of sites was delaying the department’s building programme.