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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 19 Apr 1994

Vol. 441 No. 5

Written Answers. - Cork School of Music.

Bernard Allen

Question:

32 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education when sanction will be given to the Cork School of Music to construct an extension which was promised in 1979.

Micheál Martin

Question:

56 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education if she will respond positively to a submission made by the Cork School of Music, County Cork for an extension to its existing building which was sanctioned in 1978 for European Regional Development funding by allocating moneys from the allocation of £9.5 million for special projects, facilities upgrading, special projects and technical assistance referred to in her statement on 13 January 1994.

I propose taking Questions Nos. 32 and 56 together.

I am fully aware of the case made for additional accommodation for the Cork School of Music.

As the Deputies will be aware, an extension to the School was at an advanced stage of planning in 1985 when, having regard to the financial circumstances at that time and the need to utilise funds for capital projects in areas of greatest priority, the planning of the project had to be deferred.

Since January 1993 the School has been incorporated into the Regional Technical College, Cork under the terms of the regional technical college Act 1992 — it previously operated under the City of Cork Vocational Education Committee.

A submission by the regional technical college to my Department for capital funding under the 1994-1999 European Regional Development Fund programme in respect of a broad range of projects for the college, included a proposal in respect of the extension to the School of Music. As already indicated in my press statement of 13 January 1994, a sum of £3.75 million has been included in my Department's 1994-1999 European Regional Development Fund submission to the EU for capital developments at the College. Regrettably, it was not possible in the specific allocation to the Cork regional technical college, to include the School of Music project. As an interim measure, however, my Department gave approval last autumn for the renting of additional space for the School.

The present position with regard to the proposed extension for the School of Music is that following consultation with the Director of the regional technical college my Department has very recently received a revised submission, prepared by the Director of the School of Music. It is at present under examination. The revised submission was necessary due to the many new developments which have arisen since the plans for the extension were originally prepared.

On completion of the examination and when the proposed project has been fully evaluated it will be considered for funding.
The Deputies, will, I know, appreciate that I continue to be faced with the difficult task of allocating available funding against a very wide range of pressing demands for capital resources.
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