Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

To be clear, St. Mary's national school is in the capital programme. The project will go to tender when pre-qualification is complete, the design team's near zero energy building, NZEB, submission has been considered, any other issues have been raised and consequential amendments to the stage 2b design and tender document have been implemented. That will progress in quarter two. The tender stage normally takes between seven and eight months to complete. I will be ensuring - not through my intervention - that the process is transparent and open and that work will begin in quarter four of this year.

There was also a major focus on this project in March 2018. There were expectations at that time that it would come in at an earlier stage. I am committed to this project and to ensuring it will be completed within 18 months. I cannot, unfortunately, influence the pre-qualification tender process mentioned by Deputy Gallagher. It is not in my gift. It is under the Office of Government Procurement. I do take the Deputy's point, however, on local companies being in a position to tender. It is not in my gift, however, to decide which company is successful. As I said as Gaeilge, I visited the Little Angels school recently. Work there is moving ahead as well. I know the Deputy shares my motivation in ensuring the 13 major capital projects in Donegal advance as quickly as possible.

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