Vol. 461 No. 4
145 Mr. Bell asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to provide adequate office and recreational facilities for Student Union officers, staff and students at regional technical colleges; the guidelines, if any, that have been set by her Department; the directions, if any, that have been given by her Department to the governing bodies of regional technical colleges in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3026/96]
My Department's current capital development programme includes the preparation of campus development plans by each regional technical college. At the initial development stage of a project guidance is given by my Department to the college authorities on the planning briefs for a project; at this stage full account is taken of the various needs of the college, including staff and student facilities.
Extensive consultation on space requirements also takes place at the planning stage of a project between the college authorities, their design team and officials of the planning and building unit of my Department.
A number of the development plans are now at an advanced stage of preparation. It is my intention to have these implemented on a phased basis in line with the availability of capital resources. Over £60 million has been set aside for the regional technical college sector under the 1994/99 European Regional Development Fund programme to give effect to this development programme.
