John Halligan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this matter, which gives me an opportunity to outline the current position regarding the major building project in St. Finian's community college. I hope my detailed answer will be of some benefit to the Senator and, of course, to all of those involved with the school.

The project to which the Deputy refers is a major building project to deliver improved accommodation at this community college in Swords, County Dublin. The Department of Education and Skills has approved the construction of a stand-alone extension of just over 4,000 sq. m in an area to include a two-classroom special educational need, SEN, base. Some works to the existing building were also included in this approval.

Responsibility for delivering the project has been devolved to the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, DDLETB. A service level agreement, SLA, is in place between the Department and DDLETB in that respect. This agreement outlines the roles and responsibilities of each of the parties in the delivery of education projects. It is a central tenet of devolution that responsibility for the delivery of these projects, within certain agreed parameters as laid down in the SLA, rests with DDLETB. In that respect, the education and training board has appointed a design team to design the accommodation being provided and to bring the project through the tender and construction phases.

It is of the utmost importance that the final outcome for this project be the correct one for both the school authority and the pupils. Equally, neither my Department nor the DDLETB are in any doubt about the critical need for this accommodation for the pupils, staff, parents and community of St. Finian's. Consequently, there has been an intensification of the engagement between senior officials from the Department of Education and Skills and DDLETB in recent months with an on-site meeting taking place in July. Agreement was reached at that meeting on a number of key steps required to resolve these issues at the school. Firstly, the Department will be providing funding to DDLETB to address the most urgent health and safety issues on site. This funding will be provided under the Department's emergency works scheme. DDLETB has already written to the Department on this basis and, once further information is received - and I think it will be received quickly - these works will be progressed as a matter of priority. Some of those works will deal with falling concrete and a pillar collapse. The Department is aware of that and I have been told this morning that money will be made available as a matter of urgency.

Secondly, DDLETB has put forward alternative proposals as to how the major building project for St. Finian's should be progressed. These proposals, which are under active consideration by the Department, were set out in detail at the meeting in July. They are being further developed through documentation and a feasibility report is expected to be completed in the coming days. This documentation will be of considerable assistance in determining the next steps to be taken in progressing the project.

I have spoken to officials in the Department last night and this morning and I acknowledge that the delivery of this project has taken longer than was originally envisaged. This was the result of a number of issues that arose with respect to this project and that required time to resolve. These issues included delays in obtaining statutory consents from the local authority and delays in the finalisation of the detailed design process for the project as it was originally approved. I was assured by the Department's officials that the delays were not on the side of the Department.

It may be necessary for officials to take some further time to consider the revised proposals being put forward by DDLETB. However, I assure this House and the Senator that there will be no further delay in making decisions on this. This matter will progress as a matter of urgency, whatever plan for progressing the project is decided upon.

I again thank the Senator for raising this matter and I want to give assurances to her. I have spoken again to the Department and this project is moving forward as quickly as possible. I believe the Department's representatives when they say the delays are certainly not on their end. I can confirm that the necessary funding has been set aside for it. I have seen the legislative funding that is there and the Department will continue to liaise with the DDLETB to progress this critical project. I believe further communications will take place in the next number of days.

I hope I have answered the Senator's questions. There is an acceptance from the Department that there has been an internal delay, as she pointed out. I believe from speaking to officials that, over the next few days and weeks, there will be more progress than there has been in months.