Schools deal is being negotiated in London
FINANCIERS tied to the new schools vacant in Bray are re-negotiating with developers for the completion of works.
Around 100 people attended a meeting in The Royal Hotel about Coláiste Ráithín, one of two schools affected by the collapse of Carillion, the other being Ravenswell.
The meeting was attended by parents, teachers students, public representatives and Minister Andrew Doyle, Deputy John Brady and principal Gearóid O’Ciarán explained what has been happening to further matters.
‘We have been decoupled from the bundle,’ said Aileen O’Reilly of the Parents Association. This means that because the school is more or less finished, they will be able to move in quickly once a facility management deal is made.
Mr OCiarán was among a group of principals and board of management members to attend a meeting last week in Tullamore with senior officials from the Department of Education and Skills (DES) and the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA).
The NDFA was awaiting the outcome of talks in London between DIF and Sammon Construction with a view to coming to an agreement to conclude the building work. An earlier fee proposed by Sammon was not acceptable to DIF, the meeting in Bray heard.
Public representatives told parents and others gathered at the hotel that Sammon had been paid prior to the collapse of Carillion.
Those London negotiations remain underway. If agreement is reached, NDFA officials will travel to London to, hopefully, give state approval and re-mobilisation of work crews on all sites will begin very quickly. In the event that DIF cannot reach agreement with Sammon, other building contractors, with whom there has already been engagement, will be brought into the equation.
DIF is engaging separately with other companies to provide 25 year facility management services to all six buildings in the bundle.
The secondary school in Bray, and Loreto in Wexford are virtually complete and could be opened with the appointment of just a facility management service that would also have the capability to complete the very small amount of outstanding construction work.
Both of these schools are being prioritised in the current negotiations as it is recognised by all parties that it is in everyone’s interests to open schools as quickly as possible.
Another briefing meeting will take place in Tullamore next Tuesday, March 6.