Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputies for raising this issue. We are very much aware of the frustration felt locally by parents, staff and pupils alike at the delay in completing the building projects at Coláiste an Chraoibhín in Fermoy and at Coláiste Cholmán in Midleton. We are acutely aware of the need for these extension projects to be completed as quickly as possible to improve conditions for the pupils and staff and to facilitate overall enrolment growth. The completion of these projects is an absolute priority for my Department and for Cork Education and Training Board to whom the projects have been devolved for delivery.

The contractor for the project entered examinership on 5 April last. The Deputies are probably aware that prior to that event the projects were a year behind, as Deputy O'Keeffe recognised. Despite strenuous and relentless efforts by Cork ETB and its design teams over that time, the contractor did not respond in any meaningful way to complete the projects within the contract. It was due to complete in February 2017.

When the contractor entered examinership, work on the projects effectively ceased. A meeting was convened on the 19 April with the examiner’s representative, the contractor, my Department and the Cork Education and Training Board, ETB, together with its legal adviser, to determine what impact examinership would have on the projects. At the meeting the contractor was given an opportunity to present a viable plan to complete the projects. As the contractor did not subsequently provide those plans as agreed, or indeed any plans, and as an independent conciliation process between the contract parties on the 3 May concluded without a satisfactory outcome, both contracts were terminated by Cork ETB on 8 May.

While this development is regrettable our priority now is to achieve a very clear path to getting the projects completed. The next steps are for the design teams to prepare schedules of the work needed to complete each project and costings for them. This is in train and the ETB expects to have reports from the design teams shortly. These will be submitted to my Department for consideration and approval and this process will be turned around as quickly as possible. Following that, the remaining works will be tendered. I have asked my Department to provide me with a critical path and to consider how each stage in that critical path can be delivered as quickly as possible. I can give assurance that for both projects, all efforts are being focused on attaining the quickest outcomes possible without compromising building quality.

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