Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas don Teachta as ucht an cheist fadúda an scoil i gCeann Toirc i gContae Chorcaí.

I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this issue. The Deputy will recall the update provided by the former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, in March. He will also be aware that this project has had a difficult history, both on the site acquisition front and during the statutory planning processes which started back in 2012. These matters have been complex to resolve and my Department fully understands the frustration of the schools and the local community.

As the Deputy knows, the project in question is to provide a new primary school building to accommodate the amalgamation of St. Colman's boys national school and the Convent of Mercy girls national school in Kanturk. A 16 classroom school with a three classroom autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit is planned for delivery. The site for the project was purchased by Cork Education and Training Board, ETB and the project is being delivered by the Office of Public Works, OPW. The project has been delayed primarily due to planning permission issues but also as a result of complications with site ownership and in respect of the provision of services to the site. The resolution of these issues involved a large number of complex and interrelated matters, including appeals to An Bord Pleanála and the acquisition of licences to allow works to take place, all of which took time to resolve. However, I am glad to be able to report that the vast majority of these issues are now resolved and we hope that the path is now clear to progress the project as quickly as possible.

I welcome the opportunity to outline to the House the up-to-date position. I am delighted to be able to provide assurances to Deputy Moynihan that the project is now progressing well and the funding to progress it is in place to the end of this year and into next year. As the former Minister previously outlined, the resolution of the issues around land ownership has permitted necessary enabling works to begin. After successfully concluding the tender process for this element of the project, a contractor was appointed and these works commenced on site on 24 September last. The expected timeframe for completion of the works is five weeks, meaning that they are expected to conclude shortly. The ESB will then go on site to check the works, following which it will programme the associated cable installation works. We do not, as yet, have a date for the completion of this element of the programme. Meanwhile, the OPW is proceeding with the pre-qualification of contractors for the main works and published a notice on the e-tenders website on 4 October last in that respect. The pre-qualification process should take between six and eight weeks. Once it is completed, we will approve the project to proceed to tender and construction.

Deputy Moynihan asked when the school will be finished. It is too early at this stage to give a definite timeline for project completion. All going well, however, the tendering for construction will take place in the first quarter of 2019.

See this speech in context