Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 June 2014
85. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in advancing an application for a new school in order to meet the long-term accommodation needs of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27562/14]
View answerThe school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. A design team was appointed in March to commence the architectural planning process. However, the Project Supervisor for the Design Process (PSDP) subsequently ceased trading and my Department is now dealing directly with the Consultant Architect with a view to filling this position.
Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012. School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which have been initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages of architectural planning in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in the future.
