Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Apr 2001

Vol. 534 No. 1

Written Answers. - National Maritime College.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Following a Government decision in May 2000, approval was given for the establishment of a National Maritime College in Ringaskiddy, County Cork, using the public-private partnership model. The National Maritime College will accommodate the Department of Nautical Studies of the Cork Institute of Technology and the Naval College of the Naval Service. Planning for the provision of the college is well under way in my Department. Following an advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Communities and in the national media, management consultants were recently appointed to support my Department's public-private partnership unit in the procurement of the project. In parallel with the process of appointing management consultants, an application for outline planning permission for the new college was submitted by the Cork Institute of Technology to Cork County Council in September 2000.

A project board has been established comprising representatives of my Department's public-private partnership, planning and building units, Cork Institute of Technology, the Naval Service and the management consultants to oversee the implementation of the project. The project board has already commenced work and a prior information notice was published last month to ascertain the level of interest in the market from interested consortia. I understand that there has been a good response from relevant groups in the project and it is proposed to advertise the project formally in the OJEC and in the national newspapers this month.

Although at this stage of the process it is not possible to give the Deputy a detailed timetable for the project, it is my intention that the planning and provision of the new college is given top priority in my Department.