Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 9 September 2020
44. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the timeline for the completion of the recently approved STEM building for Athlone IT; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22631/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Athlone Institute of Technology STEM building project will be delivered as part of the first bundle of projects in the Higher Education PPP Programme. The project is currently out to tender.
Construction is expected to commence during Q4 2021. In the current environment, where there is a requirement for public health measures, including social distancing, to address the COVID-19 pandemic, a prolongation of construction programmes is expected. Taking account of this, the completion date for the Athlone STEM building project may fall during the period Q1-Q2 2024.
The timeline for completion will ultimately depend on the construction programme submitted by the successful tenderer. It will therefore be possible to provide greater clarity on this once the procurement process has been completed.
