Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Kyne for raising this matter as it provides me with the opportunity to outline to the Seanad on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, the current position in relation to the major building project for Scoil Mhuire in Moycullen, County Galway, which counts Senator Kyne among its most illustrious past pupils.

The major building project for Scoil Mhuire in Moycullen is included in the Department of Education's construction programme, which is being delivered under the national development plan. This project will be delivered under the Department's ADAPT programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the accelerated delivery of architectural planning and tendering. The ADAPT programme uses a professional external project manager to co-ordinate and drive the design team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of architectural planning to tender and construction.

The brief for this project is the demolition of the original existing single storey building and the development of a new build 16-classroom primary school with two classrooms for pupils with special educational needs at the current school site in Moycullen. The project is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. It is at stage 2b, detailed design, when the design team secures all statutory approvals and prepares the suite of tender documents. The stage 2b submission was received in the Department of Education earlier this year, as Senator Kyne has outlined, and it is currently under review. On review, comments will issue from the Department for the design team's attention. The design team will then be requested to confirm to the Department in writing that its tender documents are in order and comply with all current building and procurement regulatory guidelines, and with Department technical guidance documents, before the project is eligible to progress to tender stage. In order to expedite the project, the school authorities and their design team were authorised to carry out the prequalification of contractors process, in order to draw up a shortlist of suitably qualified contractors. This process was completed in tandem with the design team completing its stage 2b report.

I completely understand Senator Kyne's frustration and, more pertinently, the frustration of the school community.I can cite at least three schools in my constituency of Dublin Rathdown that have also reached this sort of impasse, for want of a better word.

As has been outlined by the Minister, Deputy Foley, the Department will keep the school authorities and the design team informed of further developments in relation to the completion of stage 2(b) and the progression of the major building project. The Senator's advocacy this afternoon will go some way towards making sure that process is moved along as swiftly as possible. I look forward to the eventual construction of this school in due course.