Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 June 2024
75. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 48 of 23 May 2024, the status of the proposed new further education college in Galway city; the status of the review by Solas and his Department of the project proposal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27064/24]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Galway Roscommon ETBs (GRETB) proposal for the construction of a new FET College of the Future on a site owned by GRETB adjacent to its Mervue Training facility was successful at the first stage of the assessment process under the FET College of the Future Major Projects Fund and is now in the next stage of the process – the development of a Preliminary Business Case. The development of a robust business case is fundamental to the requirements of the Infrastructure Guidelines.
The proposal put forward by GRETB is one of twelve projects that are currently being progressed under this fund.
SOLAS and officials from my department met with all twelve ETBs including GRETB, in recent weeks to discuss their proposal in the context of relevant regional and national FET policy objectives. GRETB are now working on refining their business case proposal to ensure it will deliver on their priority infrastructure requirements that will meet the needs of their current and future learners and staff.
Once business cases are updated and submitted, they will be evaluated by SOLAS and my department. Those proposals that meet the required evaluation criteria will move to the next stage of development, which is the Pre-Tender – Project Design, Planning and Procurement Strategy stage.
SOLAS and my department will continue to work closely with GRETB in supporting them through this proposal development phase.
