Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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412. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding completion of a site acquisition and the process for commencing the pre-qualification process in respect of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25229/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Legal representatives for both parties are working together with a view to concluding the conveyancing. All parties are working to ensure the acquisition completes at the earliest possible date and at this point it is not anticipated that the completion of conveyancing will impact on the timelines for delivery of the building project.

In regard to the pre-qualification process, authorisation was issued to the school's Design Team on 22nd May 2018 to commence this process in order to draw up short-lists of contractors for the project. Pre-qualification normally takes between 8 and 12 weeks to complete. When pre-qualification is complete the project will then be progressed to tender stage.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The company referred to by the Deputy had a part in a tender for the completion of construction of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP project, following the liquidation of Carillion Construction Ltd. Schools Bundle 5 encompasses five school buildings and one further education college across four sites in Bray, Wexford, Carlow and Kells, including the school referred to by the Deputy.

This tender process is at an advanced stage. However, the examinership and subsequent liquidation of the company referred to by the Deputy has added complexity to the process of confirming the arrangements for completion of the Schools Bundle 5 schools. These arrangements are currently being worked through by the Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF), which represents the PPP company, and the Project Funders, in close consultation with the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) and the Department of Education and Skills. The Project Funders anticipate that the pathway forward to completion of the schools will become clearer within the next week or so. The school authorities are being advised of developments on a regular basis.

It is still the case that the schools which are closest to completion, including the school referred to by the Deputy, remain best positioned to be finished for September and all efforts are being made to achieve this. The Department is also working with the school authorities on any necessary contingency arrangements for September.

Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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414. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact of the liquidation of a company (details supplied) on the completion of schools bundle 5 public private partnership, PPP, project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25256/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The company referred to by the Deputy had a part in a tender for the completion of construction of the Schools Bundle 5 PPP project, following the liquidation of Carillion Construction Ltd. Schools Bundle 5 encompasses five school buildings and one further education college across four sites in Bray, Wexford, Carlow and Kells.

The examinership and subsequent liquidation of the company referred to by the Deputy has added complexity to the process of confirming the arrangements for completion of the Schools Bundle 5 schools. Nonetheless, the tender process is at an advanced stage and the arrangements are currently being worked through by the Dutch Infrastructure Fund (DIF), which represents the PPP company, as well as the Project Funders, in close consultation with the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) and the Department of Education and Skills. The Project Funders anticipate that the pathway forward to completion of the schools will become clearer within the next week or so. The school authorities are being advised of developments on a regular basis.

It is still the case that the schools which are closest to completion remain best positioned to be finished for September and all efforts are being made to achieve this. The Department is also working with the school authorities on any necessary contingency arrangements for September.