Taoiseach And Tánaiste Launch Development Of Grangegorman

The Taoiseach and Tánaiste has announced the approval of the master plan for the redevelopment of the Grangegorman site.

The plans for Grangegorman will provide a modern consolidated campus for the Dublin Institute of Technology in addition to purpose built mental health facilities. Phase 1, which has been approved by Government, has an overall construction cost of €486m.

Around 450 full-time construction jobs will be created for a 10 year period during the development of the Grangegorman site.

In addition, more than 1,100 full-time jobs will be created on completion of the works.

The project will entail:

* For DIT, the consolidation of 22 of the 27 schools that form DIT onto a single site;

* Major consolidation of higher education sector – the majority of DIT activities, currently on 39 separate locations, will be brought together. DIT accounts for over 8.4 % of the total higher education sector in Ireland;

* New permanent primary school run by Dublin 7 Educate Together for 400 pupils;

* HSE: Relocating mental health patients from current antiquated accommodation into new purpose built facilities on the site;

* Has the potential in time to providing a major public recreational and amenity resource for north inner city;

* Delivers an objective set out in the Dublin City Development Plan; and

* The consolidation of DIT activities at Grangegorman will yield significant organisational and operational benefits and result in significant cost savings by eliminating the duplication of services across many of Dublin Institute of Technology’s disparate locations.

Speaking at the launch, the Taoiseach said: "This is a significant project in terms of generating jobs and providing a key piece of infrastructure for education to develop our knowledge economy.”

In her address to the representatives of the main stakeholders at the launch, the Tánaiste said: "Even in these challenging economic times, we as a Government have recognised the potential of this site and have grasped the opportunity to provide a state of the art educational campus for the greater Dublin area as well as for the existing vibrant local community."

The Tánaiste praised the Grangegorman Development Agency, the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Health Service Executive, the residents and the local community for their partnership approach to the development.

Continuing, the Tánaiste said "I know that the creation of this single campus will enable the DIT to continue to implement its plan for internationalisation that covers international academic cooperation, research partnerships and membership of international strategic networks.

"At times like this we need to be open to innovative ways of financing and implementing projects and we have to base our decisions on clear analysis of the costs and benefits of each project,"concluded the Tánaiste.

Development at the Grangegorman site will utilise both traditional delivery and public private partnership, involving a number of design, build, finance and maintain contracts.

(GK)