Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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317. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm whether the management committee followed the procurement process for the leasing of new premises for the Donegal Education Centre, Donegal Town; if it was publicly advertised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5507/25]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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341. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether different locations were looked at as part of the Donegal Education Support Centre, Donegal town, relocation; if guidelines were used to evaluate these other locations; if so, to detail those guidelines; if any effort was made to meet the stated growing need in the Donegal town area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5799/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 317 and 341 together.

As the Deputy may be aware, S.I. No. 286/2016 EU (Award of Contracts by Utility Undertakings Regulations) 2016 provides for exclusions to the procurement rules in relation to the rental of existing buildings. However, central policy has been developed by the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to guide property acquisition including the leasing of premises.

While Donegal Education Support Centre is an independent body, it is recognised under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998) and is expected to comply with best practice in relation to the use of public funds and in achieving value for money. The move proposed by DESC is expected to be cost-neutral over a period of time.

In relation to the management committee of DESC's decision to relocate, I am informed that DESC carried out a process whereby they did an analysis of the spread of primary and post primary schools in County Donegal and attempted to identify the optimal location for an ESC to provide its services. I understand the NESC then developed a business case supporting the move to Letterkenny, a more central location, was developed. The fact that the current location in Donegal town is 65km from Sligo ESC, affording teachers in the south of the county access to another ESC, was also taken into account.

DESC identified the size of building and facilities that would be required and consulted with a number of estate agents and landlords before identifying the preferred new location in Letterkenny. The OPW were also consulted and confirmed that there is no current OPW location in Donegal at the scale required to suit the needs of Donegal ESC.