Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 June 2023
121. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 84 of 30 March 2023, if he will provide a status update on the proposed new further education college in Galway city; the status of the development of the preliminary business case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26560/23]
View answerLate last year, I was very happy to announce that Galway Roscommon ETB’s (GRETB) strategic proposal to develop a Further Education College in Galway city was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund. The proposal put forward by GRETB relates to the development of Mervue Training Centre which would provide a state-of-the-art FET campus and consolidate FET provision to one city location. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that since then my Department has worked closely with SOLAS in developing a suite of templates and guidance notes in line with Public Spending code requirements for the preliminary business case stage of the process. Workshops took place at the end of March 2023 with relevant ETB representatives, including GRETB, to advise on how to complete the templates. SOLAS will continue to work closely with these ETBs, including GRETB, during the development phase of their proposal. ETBs have up to the end of September to complete and return their preliminary business cases for evaluation.
