Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have been made aware of the building project for the school to which the Deputy is referring. Delays have, unfortunately, been experienced in delivering this project. These arose because the contractor encountered unforeseen bad ground conditions, together with severe weather events, which we will all remember from earlier this year. The project had been scheduled for completion for September 2018 but, in view of the issues met by the contractor, the likely completion date is now April 2019.

I know how disappointing this is for the school and I understand how difficult it is for it to manage a growing enrolment until its new building is in place. It is, however, in the nature of any building project, whether it is a school, an office block or a house, that unforeseen issues can arise. The objective is always to deal with these as efficiently as possible to minimise delay.

The project is being delivered by the local county council, which is continuing to pursue the contractor for as speedy a delivery of the project as possible. The council has the full support of my Department in its efforts to achieve this without compromising the integrity of the building being delivered. To ensure the school is kept fully up to date with progress on the project, the county council will be providing the board of management with monthly updates. The intention is that this approach will provide accurate and precise information to help the school to plan and manage its needs until its permanent accommodation is available.

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