Seanad debates

Wednesday, 30 September 2020

Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters

Schools Building Projects

10:30 am

Photo of Mary ButlerMary Butler (Waterford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for his kind words of welcome to this House.

I am representing the Minister for Education and Skills. She was not in a position to attend so asked me to take this Commencement debate, which I am happy to do. I spoke to her briefly and she informed me that she is very much aware of all of the work that the Senator has done to date to progress the extension at Ballybay Community College, working with Councillor Coyle. As the Senator said, the people of Ballybay are completely behind the project.

I can confirm to him and the House that the Department received an application from CMETB for additional accommodation for the community college in June 2019. The request was given careful consideration. I am pleased, on behalf of the Minister, to advise the House that approval has been given for the provision of a stand-alone extension to the existing accommodation of the school. The extension will include two general classrooms, a science laboratory and a science preparation area. The project is being funded under the Department's additional accommodation scheme.

As is usual with such projects, its delivery has been devolved to CMETB. It is being progressed with a view to resolving the issues referred to by the Senator and increasing the accommodation that it currently occupies.

I assure the House that the Department is conscious of the need for the accommodation. Likewise, the CMETB is aware of the importance to the school community of the delivery of the project in a timely manner. Indeed, officials of the Department have been in regular contact with the board on the matter.

I am pleased that a design team has been appointed by the board to carry out the works necessary to bring the project through the various stages of architectural planning and onwards through to construction.

Under the Department's additional accommodation scheme, a school building project has a number of stages within the design and delivery process where approval, from the Department, is mandatory. The next stage in the process will be the completion of a detailed design for the project. In accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme, the CMETB is required to seek approval from the Department at this stage, namely, stage 2(a), of the design process. The design team has been progressing the project through this stage of the process in recent months. In that context, I am delighted to announce to the House that the stage 2(a) report to be provided to the Department was received yesterday, so the Senator has tabled a very timely Commencement matter. Officials in the Department will now begin the process of reviewing the stage report. Subject to the Department being satisfied with these proposals, it may authorise the CMETB to proceed to lodge a planning application for the project.The CMETB will then bring the project through the planning process and may need to revert again to the Department, depending on the outcome of its planning application. Subject to departmental approval at that stage, as well as through the tender process, the CMETB and its consultant will then proceed to tender for a contractor to carry out the building works.

This project superseded an earlier project which was for the provision of a science laboratory and science preparation area only. This project had been approved but could not proceed due to significant cost and design challenges. The entire provision approved with that project is now included in the revised provision.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.