Start Ebrington build first then Foyle: Hay

DUP MLA William Hay told the Sentinel that ‘de-coupling’ the various elements of the landmark co-location project over a series of financial years might make it easier for the Minister get the crucial capital investment over the line.

However, Mr Hay stressed that a strict guarantee that the Foyle element will follow within a year or 18 months would have to be secured if the ‘de-coupling’ is to be feasible.

He made the comments in the wake of Mr O’Dowd’s visit to both schools last week upon which he was urged to fast-track the scheme.

Mr Hay stated: “I’ve spoken to Foyle and Ebrington. I think everyone is hoping there is going to be a positive outcome to this particular project so that we can get Foyle and Ebrington over to the Clooney site.

“The Minister has announced an audit but this has dragged on for some time. There has already been over £15m spent on this project. I don’t know of any other project across NI where that amount of money has been spent and they still don’t have the project.”

The local MLA said there needed to be innovative thinking in terms of progressing the scheme and suggested forging ahead with the Ebrington build now with the Foyle element following in the next number of financial years.

“Maybe we need to be thinking outside the box in all of this,” Mr Hay told the Sentinel. “At the end of the day it may be easier for the Minister. It was always envisaged that Ebrington would go on the site first and then Foyle would follow. Is that easier for the Minister to do?”

He said it was important to stress the joint nature of the Foyle/Ebrington co-location project and that the ‘de-coupling’ would merely be a tactical device for breaking up the investment over a number of years.

“It still ends up very much a joint project and needs to be a joint project with guarantees built in that Foyle will follow very quickly,” he said.

“Is there a way of doing this which still gets the project on the ground? I see Ebrington, very much as part of Foyle, and Foyle part of Ebrington.

“It might be easier for the Minister to get the money for Ebrington first. But then given certain guarantees, Foyle would follow quickly.”

Mr Hay said he believed the Minister was very keen for the project to go ahead but that he was faced with difficult decisions across the board. He said ‘de-coupling’ the two elements may help facilitate the entire co-location bid.

“Does that give the Minister a bit of a lever in extracting the money from the Executive for Foyle?” asked Mr Hay. “Saying: ‘Look Ebrington is on site now, the work is ongoing and I need to give a commitment that Foyle will soon follow.”

Addressing the stalled co-location bid after touring both Foyle and Ebrington last week Mr O’Dowd said: “I have commissioned the Education and Library Boards (ELBs), working with the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS) and the other sectors, to undertake viability audits of all schools, focusing on sustainable enrolment levels, quality of education and financial viability.

“I have also commissioned the five ELBs and CCMS to co-ordinate collective strategic planning based on each Board area to shape the future pattern of education delivery.

“In any area, potential projects, such as that for Foyle College and Ebrington Primary School, will be critically assessed as part of the area planning process, to determine how they will contribute to the overall infrastructure needed.

“No school building project will be looked at in isolation but must be considered in the context of the wider area. Until this work is completed I cannot comment further on the position of any potential project.”