Jobs Boost As Tánaiste Announces Schools

Jobs are set to flow from a major Irish building construction project just announced.

Irish Tánaiste and Education Minister, Mary Coughlan has revealed that the contract for the provision of six new schools had been signed with Macquarie Partnerships for Ireland (MPFI).

The construction period will be approximately 18 months, during which time in excess of 1,000 construction workers will be employed across the project sites.

These six schools will provide places for over 4,700 pupils and make up the second bundle of PPP schools projects to be delivered under the Department's Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme.

Under the PPP model, the schools will be designed, built, financed and maintained for 25 years by MPFI.

"I am conscious of the importance of this project to the schools and to the construction industry at this particular time and I am delighted to announce that the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) has today signed the contract with MPFI and that construction will commence immediately," said the Tánaiste.

"The six new schools will be available by the end of 2011."

The six schools in the second bundle are Bantry Community College, Co. Cork, Gaelscoil Bheanntraí, Co. Cork, Kildare Town Community School, Co. Kildare, Abbeyfeale Community College, Co. Limerick, Wicklow Town Community College, Co. Wicklow and Athboy Community School, Co. Meath.

The six schools have been designed by domestic design consultants and are to be constructed by Pierse Contracting and John Sisk & Son Ltd, two of Ireland's principal construction companies.

(NS/BMcC)