Vol. 504 No. 6
14 Mr. Coveney asked the Minister for the Marine and Natural Resources if he will make a statement on the progress being made to set up a national maritime college in Ringaskiddy, County Cork, to be partly used for training and educational purposes by Navy personnel; and the timescale for the project to commence and be completed. [9194/99]
As the Deputy is aware, the proposal to set up a new maritime college at Ringaskiddy, County Cork, was a key recommendation of the taskforce on seafarer training and employment which I established in February 1998. In its final report presented to me in October 1998, the taskforce stressed that more detailed costings would be necessary before the national maritime college development could proceed.
Government approval in principle to the development of the new national maritime college for Cork, announced in October 1998, was further underpinned by the allocation of £200,000 to my Department to advance work on the costings and scheduling for the new college. To progress the recommendations of the taskforce an interdepartmental expert working group has been established. The group comprises senior officials and technical experts from my Department, the Departments of Finance, Education and Science and Defence, as well as representatives of the Cork Institute of Technology, the Naval Service and FÁS. The group is currently examining the costings, financing and timing of the new national maritime college with a view to submitting to Government a fully developed proposal for implementation
It is my intention that the group's work be progressed as quickly as possible so that the Government approval in principle can be given tangible effect in terms of an implementation plan and timeframe. I hope the group will be able to finalise its work by July 1999.
I thank the Minister for his response, but it is eight months since the by-election campaign when the Government announced in very large headlines that it would launch a national maritime college in Ringaskiddy in Cork. The Minister mentioned a large number of groups which are waiting for news of the college. I am glad we will hear some news in July but I urge the Minister to ensure the project is iniated quickly. He will be aware that, particularly in the Navy, there is a severe morale problem and a development such as this would give it and Cork Institute of Technology a large boost. If progress is not made I will again raise this matter following the summer recess.
The large headlines were not my doing – The Examiner gave very good coverage to this excellent proposal. The reason it moved so quickly was that the taskforce did a good job in its development of the proposal. I immediately felt the report presented to me was a very good national proposal and the Government accepted and backed it. The next step was to prepare the detailed costings and to bring together the different groups which had co-operated up to that time to implement the proposals. This is what has happened and things are moving quite quickly for a project of this nature. A firm of consultant engineers has been commissioned to seek tenders to carry out site investigation work on a proposed site owned by the Department of Defence in Ringaskiddy, the proposed location for the college. The group is also planning to engage consultants to help them identify potential partners for public-private partnerships to develop the college or aspects of it.
Things are moving quickly and I think the target set out in their programme will be adhered to. Once it provides its report we will be in a position to set down specific targets for its implementation and for the building programme. I am sure that like me the Deputy looks forward to that stage.
Written Answers follow Adjournment Debate.
