A fast-track design for the planned St Eunan’s College development in Letterkenny has been confirmed.
The school is one of two local schools among 16 selected nationwide for the latest round of Adapt design and planning programme.
Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh has confirmed the move.
He said “It is great news for everyone involved at St Eunan’s – the teachers and staff, the students who are there now and those who will be starting in the coming years. And I’m especially pleased for principal Chris Darby and all the work he’s put in.
“Under the special Adapt II programme in the Department’s Building Unit some schools around the country can be included in a fast-track system to go through design and planning. A project manager will be dedicated to the schools in this Adapt programme and it means a more hands-on focus.
“St Eunan’s has met the criteria and I’m delighted to be able to confirm that it is among more than a dozen schools on the list, and joins St Columba’s College Stranorlar on this new process.”
Minister McHugh also denounced unfounded claims about delays to the major development of St Mary’s, Stranorlar.
“St Mary’s National School is another project very close to all our hearts and minds and there’s been some totally absurd claims made about it in the last 24 hours,” the Minister for Education and Skills and Donegal TD said.
“So here’s some facts – it is on course; it is being designed to a top class finish; it will have superb energy efficiency and environmental standards; the final approvals on designs are worked on; and we are aiming for work to begin towards the end of the year.
“Despite the nonsense noise that sometimes surrounds these community projects, principal Fintan Keating is being kept up to speed in order to help the school community understand how the process works and how the plan is shaping up.
“Fintan has been a steady hand and has put serious graft into ensuring this project comes to fruition. I can’t praise him, his work and his team enough.
“The project is on course to go to tender in the coming months and for construction to start soon after that.
“The Department is fully committed to the St Mary’s project, the money was budgeted for this some time ago and I am fully committed to seeing workers on the ground.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Education and Skills confirmed that the competition for a design team for St Eunan’s has gone live as part of the Adapt II programme. It will run for about eight weeks.
Minister McHugh said: “St Eunan’s dates back to 1906 and a lot of work has gone into assessing how the old and new can be married in this major project. We want to see new buildings that will last as long, if not longer, than the original castle section.
“The designers will draw up a masterplan to develop St Eunan’s into a school fit for 1,000 students, more than 10,000m2 of school space, including refurbishment in the older buildings and protecting the historically important castle.”
