Progress has been made on Scoil na gCeithre Maistrí in Donegal Town, with the school now progressing to the architectural and design stage.
Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton confirmed to Donegal Deputy Pat the Cope Gallagher Leas Cheann Comhairle that the design team are to commence the first stage of architectural planning as per the Department Team Procedures 2012. This stage will allow the project to prepare design options for the proposed site, with a view to delivering the most optimum delivery for the project on the site in question.
This stage will allow the project to prepare design options for the proposed site, with a view to delivering the most optimum delivery for the project on the site in question.
The project is also included in the six-year capital programme for the Construction Programme of the Department of Education projects and the school is scheduled for construction in 2019 to 2021.
Pat the Cope, although happy with the progress being made, is urging Minister Bruton to “speed up the delivery of this project”, as it is “clearly not acceptable to wait until 2019 for the construction of this project to commence.”
He says; “There is a clear and urgent need for this school building in Donegal Town, as currently the entire school is housed in temporary accommodation and on an annual basis the school continues to grow in numbers.
“I am calling on the Department and Minister Bruton to accelerate the speed of delivery of this project, and obtain planning for the new building and quickly more the project to tender stage rather than delaying the project until 2019, I believe with enough goodwill and commitment on the part of the Government this can be delivered earlier than what is currently envisaged.”