Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said he welcomes confirmation the tendering process for four Wicklow schools is about to start.
The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA),is supporting the Department of Education and Skills by delivering an element of the Department’s school building programme on its behalf.
The NDFA have confirmed they will shortly be releasing a Prior Information Notice (PIN) to the market with a view to stimulating interest in advance of starting the tender process for the appointment of contractors for that programme.
This is separate to the tendering process- a Prior Information Notice is typically issued approximately four weeks in advance of the tendering process commencing.
The programme, entitled the Devolved Schools Building Programme 2, will comprise of 20 individual school building projects ranging from new builds to extensions/refurbishment projects for works at both primary and post primary level.
These projects will be delivered as three distinct project bundles: Project Nore, Project Boyne and Project Dargle.
A framework of project management and design team consultants has already been appointed for the programme and the process to appoint teams to specific project bundles is now underway.
In Wicklow Coláiste Chraobh Abhann, Kilcoole, C.B.S Secondary School Arklow, St. Kevin’s Community School, Dunlavin and Avondale Community College, Rathdrum have all been included in the project.
St. Kevin’s, which was built with a capacity for 500 students but now has over 600, has been waiting for an extension since 2014.
It is set to get a nine room extension which will include two science rooms and two special needs units.
Minister Donnelly said: “It’s fantastic to see progress being made for these schools who are in dire need of additional capacity.
“Schools like St Kevin’s have had to wait far too long for this building work to get underway.
“I know having worked with the parents at schools like Coláiste Chraobh Abhann just how much they are in need of an extension to meet the ever growing demand for places.
“I’m delighted we are finally seeing some movement but I will be working to make sure these projects are delivered in a timely fashion because they are all desperately needed.
