Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 September 2022
437. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of the dates of each of the project milestones with respect to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon since the project's inception. [45509/22]
View answer438. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of formal correspondence between the Department, the Higher Education Authority and Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon with respect to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by LIT/TUS since the project's inception. [45510/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 438 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Public Spending Code, the Project Lifecycle refers to the series of steps and activities which are necessary to take the proposal from concept to completion and evaluation.
The Coonagh Campus project was split into two components; the ‘Enabling / Shell & Core’ works and the 'Fit out ' works. I have set out the main stages and dates in the table below in respect of each of these components.
|
Project Element |
Tender Commencement |
Construction Commencement |
Construction Completion |
Project Review & Reporting Period |
|
Enabling Shell & Core |
July 2017 |
July 2018 |
February 2020 |
February 2023 |
|
Fit Out |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
The table attached sets out the key communications and milestones relating to the project at TUS-Coonagh Campus, from the decision to acquire the site up to the current Fit Out phase of the project. It is important to note that since the inception of the TUS-Coonagh Project and between the milestone dates referenced in the table there was extensive engagement between the Institute, HEA DFHERIS, resolution of queries in relation to procurement, tendering, etc. However given the volume of these and the timeframe required to respond my Department have focused on the key milestones of the project.
|
Documents/Key Milestones |
Date |
|
Approval of site purchase at cost of €3.5m |
Nov 2015 |
|
Economic Impact of LIT Campus Report |
June 2016 |
|
ABP grant planning |
July 2017 |
|
Procurement process commenced for the ‘Enabling / Shell & Core Contract’ |
July 2017 |
|
DES Approval for development project |
June 2018 |
|
Contract awarded for ‘Enabling Shell and Core contract’ by LIT and commenced onsite |
July 2018 |
|
The Enabling Shell and Core contract’contract reached substantial completion |
February 2020 |
|
HEA Options and Recommendations Report submitted to DFHERIS for fit-out phase |
Dec 2020 |
|
DFHERIS approval for Fit-out commencement |
May 2022 |
