Reason for delays with 'promised' Mayo capital projects explained
The Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe has explained the reason why several approved capital projects across Mayo are experiencing ongoing delays.
He told Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh said there were two reasons for the situation.
Minister Donohoe elaborated: "The first one is our efforts to ensure that we have enough companies tendering for public service contracts so that we have an adequate level of competition within the tendering process to allow key projects to go ahead.
"The second relates to the continued challenges we have with cost-price inflation.
"We are not seeing the surges in the delivery of projects that we saw in recent years.
"The cost of projects is now far higher than it was before inflation surged, which creates challenges in the delivery of projects.
"I expect the further €2.25 billion that we have allocated will go a long way towards dealing with that nationally.
"I have identified those two factors as the key challenges we continue to face."
Deputy Conway-Walsh said there were lots of delays in projects that were promised for Mayo, especially schools and hospitals.
She explained: "We have the likes of Davitt College and Ballinrobe Secondary School, on which I hope there will be announcements soon.
"In addition, there are outstanding projects like the Educate Together School in Castlebar and Holy Trinity school in Westport.
"What is happening is that the schools have to refuse places to children.
"We have had an increase in population in these areas and we just do not have the capacity, so the educational opportunities are constrained.
"I am concerned, too, about projects at Mayo University Hospital, Belmullet Community Hospital and Ballina Hospital.
"Are they being run through the department?
"I am also concerned about road projects such as the R312 project in Mayo.
"I know there is a lot there, but people were under the impression that these projects were going to be delivered and now it appears that they are still delayed."