Vol. 489 No. 1
10 Mr. M. Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Science the proposals, if any, he has for the extension of Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7524/98]
My Department received proposals from the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology for a major extension to the institute, comprising two stages, at an estimated total cost of £8 million.
Following an evaluation of the proposal by my Department, I gave the go-ahead to the institute to award a building contract for stage one of the development, at a cost of over £3.5 million on 19 November 1997. At the time of the original approval the project had to be limited in size due to funding constraints.
As the Deputy will be aware, since that date I have put in place a major investment programme — the scientific and technological education (investment) fund — comprising £250 million over three years, for the third level sector as a whole. Its establishment represents a comprehensive, multi-faceted approach to the various problems which need to be tackled in the education system. It makes available the necessary capital resources to deal with issues such as overcrowding in third level institutions, the emergence of skills shortages, upgrading of equipment and research and development and increased availability of computers in our schools.
Very recently my Department received a proposal from the Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology authorities seeking approval to build the second phase of the extension in parallel with phase one. The proposal to allow both phases of the extension to proceed in parallel is currently being considered in the context of the capital moneys now available to my Department. I hope to be in a position to make a decision in the matter very shortly.
