Vol. 445 No. 8
38 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Education when she proposes to sanction the go ahead for an extension to the Cork School of Music, Union Quay, Cork, in view of the overcrowded nature of the present building and the restrictions being placed on the development of courses in the school. [23/94]
I am fully aware of the case made for additional accommodation for the Cork School of Music.
As the Deputy will be aware, an extension to the school was at an advanced stage of planning in 1985 when, having regard to the financial circumstances at that time and the need to utilise funds for capital projects in areas of greatest priority, the planning of the project had to be deferred.
Since 1 January 1993 the school has been incorporated into the Regional Technical College, Cork under the terms of the Regional Technical College Act 1992 — it previously operated under the city of Cork Vocational Education Committee.
A submission by the regional technical college to my Department for capital funding under the 1994-99 European Regional Development Fund programme in respect of a broad range of projects for the college, included a proposal in respect of the extension of the school of music. As already indicated in my press statement of 13 January 1994, a sum of £3.75 million has been included in my Department's 1994-99 European Regional Development Fund submission to the EU for capital developments at the college. Regrettably, it was not possible in the specific allocation to the Cork Regional Technical College, to include the school of music project. As an interim measure, however, my Department gave approval last autumn for the remitting of additional space for the school.
The present position with regard to the proposed extension for the school of music is that following consultation with the director of the regional technical college my Department has received a revised submission, prepared by the school of music. It, together with a number of other project proposals which have been received from the regional technical college, are at present under examination. The revised submission of the school of music was necessary due to the many new developments which have arisen since the plans for the extension were originally prepared.
