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CONTRUCTION WILL BEGIN today on eight new schools across the country which will accommodate around 5,700 students.
The schools which will be built in Westmeath, Leitrim, Limerick, Galway and Waterford are part of the five year programme announced Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn earlier this year.
They are the first public sector projects to be funded under the Public Partnership (PPP) model since June 2010.
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Six of the eight schools are second level schools; while the two remaining schools to be built in Doughiska, Co Galway, are a primary and a secondary school which will share a single campus.
A loan of €50 million has been secured through the European Investment Bank (EIB) means the construction of the eight schools can now proceed. The total value of the construction costs is estimated to be approximately €100 million and all schools are expected to be completed by 2014.
Welcoming the start of construction today, Minister Quinn said it was good news for the communities who have been waiting for their school building project to be given the green light.
“I am particularly pleased that the EIB has again decided to support the Department’s schools capital investment programme with a loan of €50 million which will assist in funding this investment,” he said. “It is a further signal of the bank’s renewed confidence in the Irish State and our recovery programme.”
Earlier this year, Minister Quinn unveiled a five year Schools Capital Programme worth €1.5 billion. This will see a total of 275 major school buildings projects commenced between now and 2016.
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EU tenders process. This is what would happen If Sinn Fein had power and access to pension fund. Raid billions only to have to award to EU contractors. Spending money to create building jobs not equals Irish jobs.
Why can’t say fas or whatever they are called now tender for the jobs and use( train/ keep skills) people in their system to do the work. Money better spent!
Although it is a Dutch company, the reality is that the majority of staff and subcontractors employed on the project will be Irish-based. It is just the profit (or loss) on the project that will ultimately be booked to the parent company in the Netherlands.
If a Dutch company can come in and quote cheaper than an Irish company and still meet the quality criteria then they should get the contract. Perhaps Irish companies will then lower their quotes to match and then get the contracts. In an era where money is tight we need to be getting the best value we can.
Doubt it we are having a new school built notice 3 northern Irish vans loading up with anything up to 6 workers each every time I pick my children up from after school care while my carpenter husband is out of the country working because he can’t get permanent work here and not entitled to any welfare as he self employed
One of the schools is being built in my home town. Delighted that it’s finally going ahead. We’ve been waiting nearly 40 years for this, and a lot of time and effort has been invested by the local community into getting it built.
Great to see schools being built, but I’d like to know who’s controlling access to them – the catholic church or an organisation which has a better record of looking after kids?
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