Noel Davern
Question:153 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Education when moneys will be advanced to allow the purchase of the identified site for the Tipperary Rural Business Development Institute campus at Clonmel, County Tipperary. [11287/97]
Written Answers. - Business Development Project.
Noel Davern
Question:154 Mr. Davern asked the Minister for Education when work will commence on the Tipperary Rural Business Development Institute campus at Clonmel, County Tipperary. [11288/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 153 and 154 together.
In July 1995, the Government approved the establishment of the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute. A steering committee to plan this development was set up in October 1995. The institute will be run on the basis of a distributed campus with a core centre located at Thurles, a second in Clonmel and an extended network of outreach centres located around the county. Planning of the Thurles campus is at an advanced stage and it is intended to seek tenders for the project shortly.
The original proposal for the Clonmel campus was based on the refurbishment of vacant second level accommodation. However, the premises continue to be required for this purpose and are not available for use by Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute. Alternative sites have been examined and a proposal recently received from County Tipperary South Riding Vocational Education Committee is being considered by my Department.
A decision on the provision of funding for the acquisition of a site and a date for the commencement of work at Clonmel will be taken when the overall additional cost of the new proposal has been fully evaluated and established.