Minister O'Keeffe announces go-ahead for seven schools under PPP plan
- Published: 16 December 2008
Source: D.E.S.
'Third bundle to create over 4,800 new school places' - Minister
The Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe TD, today announced seven projects to be included in the third bundle of schools as part of the department's public-private partnership (PPP) programme.
Six are post-primary schools and one is a primary school.
They are located in counties Donegal, Leitrim, Galway, Wexford, Waterford and Westmeath.
Announcing the projects, Minister O'Keeffe said the schools will provide new accommodation for over 4,800 pupils.
'I'm delighted to announce these projects as part of the third bundle of the PPP programme.
'They will create new school places for over 4,800 pupils, radically improving our educational infrastructure at primary and post-primary levels.
'I want to congratulate each school on their selection and I hope that construction work can begin as quickly as possible once all necessary steps have been taken in the PPP process.
'I've asked officials from my department's PPP unit to immediately begin the pre-procurement process for the third bundle.
'Stakeholder meetings will be held with each school early next year to detail the PPP procurement mechanism and the role of the individual schools in the bundled project.
'Under the PPP programme, projects are procured in bundles and offered to the market on a design, build, finance and operate basis.
'One of the main advantages PPP schools have is that the principal is not involved on a daily basis in maintenance and caretaking issues.
'These become the responsibility of the PPP operator for the period of the contract.
'The National Development Finance Agency will procure the schools for the Department of Education and Science,' said Minister O'Keeffe.
Subject to the completion of the planning process, the current indicative timeframe for these schools to become operational is late 2012.
The following schools are to be included in the third bundle of the PPP programme:
Post-primary
Coláiste Ailigh, Letterkenny, Co Donegal: to provide a permanent school for the gaelcholáiste established in 2000 [350 pupils].
Ballinamore Community School, Co Leitrim: arising from the amalgamation of Fatima and Felim's Secondary School and Ballinamore Vocational School [400 pupils].
Doughiska Community College, Co Galway: new school for a rapidly growing population in the Doughiska area [650 pupils]. It will be provided on a shared campus with the new primary school - see below.
Gorey, Co Wexford: new school for a rapidly growing population in the Gorey area [1,000 pupils].
Tramore Community School, Co Waterford: arising from the amalgamation of CBS Tramore and Stella Maris schools [1,000 pupils].
Athlone Community College, Co Westmeath: replacement for the current building [1,000 pupils].
Primary
Doughiska, Co Galway: new school for a rapidly growing population in the Doughiska area [447 pupils].
ENDS
