Clarification sought on timetable for proposed new Kanturk National School
CONFUSION still surrounds the timetable for the proposed new primary school in Kanturk after it emerged that tender documents for the facility have still yet to be issued.
The issue of the new school, which will see the amalgamation of St Colman’s Boys NS and the Convent of Mercy NS, has been the subject of much heated debate at both local and County Council since it was first proposed back in 2001.
Last month local Fine Gael county councillors John Paul O’Shea and Gerard Murphy issued a joint statement confirming that the Office of Public Works (OPW) had finally been given formal approval from the Department of Education to put the project out to tender.
They said that once a preferred tender had been selected and appointed, it was expected the construction phase of the project would take in the region of 14-months to complete.
Describing the news as “very positive”, Cllr O’Shea said it was his hope that diggers would be on the ground “as soon as is practically possible.”
The issue was again raised in the Dáil last week by Cork North West Fianna Fail TD Michael Moynihan, who asked Education Minister Joe McHugh to confirm if the tender documents for the school had been issued yet.
In his reply the Minister said the project had been devolved to the OPW for delivery but the tender documents had not yet been issued due to “the necessity to make a technical specification amendment to them,”
He said it was hoped that when this process had been completed the project would proceed to tender, but did not say when that might be.
Calling for clarity on the situation, Deputy Moynihan said he was concerned about what he described as the “mixed-messages” over progress on the project.
“On the one hand, we have claims that approval has been given to put the project to tender, while in direct correspondence with me, Minister Joe McHugh confirmed the documents had not yet been issued due to the technical amendment,” said Deputy Moynihan.
Reiterating the point that it had taken a long time to get approval for the school, he paid tribute to parents and local community groups that had “gotten us to this point”.
“Without their hard work and determination, the project would not have gotten off the ground. However, I am concerned about the mixed messages that we are getting about progress on the school over the past number of weeks,” said Deputy Moynihan.
“This is a very important project for the local community. I will be seeking assurances it will be progressed without any further delay and will be contacting the Minister again seeking clarification on the matter,” he added.