Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is no lack of urgency here; I want that to be very clear. This project has moved at pace under the last four years of this Government. As I have said, under the next phase of the school building programme, individual school building projects will be authorised to proceed to construction, subject to an assessment of tender reports and relevant due diligence by the Department’s planning and building unit.

The large-scale specific project for Scoil Íosagáin in Buncrana is currently at stage 3, which is tender stage. The tender report was received from the Scoil Íosagáin board of management and the design team by my Department in January 2024. The analysis and review of same is at an advanced stage.

The next step in the project will be the authorisation to issue the letter of intent to the successful tenderer. My Department will be in contact with the school authorities shortly with regard to the next steps involved in the project. The Minister, Deputy McConalogue, has confirmed the letter will issue shortly. Once a contractor has been appointed, it is expected it will take approximately 27 months to complete the project. It will be delivered at pace.

As I have said, more than €127 million has been invested in Donegal. Schools such as the Gaelscoil in Moville have been opened. Moville Community College is under construction. The three-school campus in Buncrana, for which I initiated the compulsory purchase order, CPO, is now going to design.

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