Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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437. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a schedule of the dates of each of the project milestones with respect to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon since the project's inception. [45509/22]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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438. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a schedule of formal correspondence between the Department, the Higher Education Authority and Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon with respect to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by LIT/TUS since the project's inception. [45510/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 438 together.

As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Public Spending Code, the Project Lifecycle refers to the series of steps and activities which are necessary to take the proposal from concept to completion and evaluation.

The Coonagh Campus project was split into two components; the ‘Enabling / Shell & Core’ works and the 'Fit out' works. I have set out the main stages and dates in the table below in respect of each of these components.

The table attached sets out the key communications and milestones relating to the project at TUS-Coonagh Campus, from the decision to acquire the site up to the current Fit Out phase of the project. It is important to note that since the inception of the TUS-Coonagh Project and between the milestone dates referenced in the table there was extensive engagement between the Institute, HEA DFHERIS, resolution of queries in relation to procurement, tendering, etc. However given the volume of these and the timeframe required to respond my Department have focused on the key milestones of the project.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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439. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a schedule of the funding made available to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon since the project's inception to include a breakdown by date, value and purpose of all current and capital exchequer funding. [45511/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The information requested by the Deputy is set out below.

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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440. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a schedule of the dates of each of the project milestones with respect to the acquisition of Crowley Park by Galway Mayo Institute of Technology / Atlantic Technological University since the project’s inception. [45512/22]

Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent)
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441. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a schedule of formal correspondence between the Department, the Higher Education Authority and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology / Atlantic Technological University with respect to the Crowley Park development undertaken by GMIT/ATU since the project's inception. [45513/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 440 and 441 together.

GMIT’s interest in the acquisition of Crowley Park, and its engagement with the Higher Education Authority (HEA), the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and previously the Department of Education and Skills, extended back many years prior to its eventual acquisition of the property in December 2021.

Approval was provided to acquire the site in 2018; however, the GMIT bid at that time was ultimately not successful.

The table beneath sets out key communications and milestones relating to the successful acquisition which was eventually finalised in December 2021. It is important to note that between the milestone dates referenced in the table there was extensive background work and engagement between the parties, including engagements between GMIT and the vendor, updating of valuations, resolution of queries etc. The COVID-19 pandemic and steps to be followed on the side of the vendor also had an impact on overall timelines.