Building project at TU Dublin proceeds to tender ‘immediately’
By Mary Dennehy
A NEW 5,200sqm building project at TU Dublin Tallaght campus has this week been progressed by Government, and will proceed to tender ‘immediately’.
On Tuesday, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, announced developments across 11 institutions – which, will create space for 8,000 additional students.
The TU Dublin Tallaght Campus
The tender for the first bundle of six construction projects will proceed ‘immediately’ - including TU Dublin Tallaght campus’ culinary arts, hospitality and tourism and engineering building.
This project includes a technical development centre for practice based learning, facilities for the culinary arts and new classrooms and computer labs.
The second bundle of projects is expected to go to tender in the first quarter of 2021.
The development of a culinary arts, hospitality and tourism and engineering building has been in the works for nearly a decade at the Tallaght campus, with a proposal set in motion before IT Tallaght became a technological university.
PPP (Public Private Partnership) deferrals and budget cuts stalled the project over the years.
However, this week’s announcment is positive news for the future growth of the TU Dublin Tallaght campus, and the programme and learning possibilities it opens up for students.
As with other PPP projects in the education sector, the contract type envisaged, according to the Department, is Design, Build, Finance and Maintain (DBFM).
The successful tenderer for each of the bundles will construct the buildings using private finance, and will then operate and maintain the buildings over a period of 25 years.
Payment by the Department will be by way of monthly Unitary Charge payments over the 25 year operational period, which will start when construction has been completed.
Announcing the two bundles going out to tender, Minister Harris said: “This is a key milestone in what is a very ambitious programme of investment in the higher education sector. Such investment has never been more important.
“The higher education sector, and within that our new Technological Universities and our Institutes of Technology, have an essential role to play in driving recovery across Ireland’s regions and in preparing for the opportunities and challenges of a changing economy.”
He added: “The new infrastructure to be delivered under this Programme will enhance the campus environment for students and staff, and support strengthened partnerships with industry.
“The buildings will have a strong focus on supporting practice-based learning, including laboratories, workshops and studios.
“They will also have significant flexibility to adapt to changing teaching and learning needs, and to support hybrid and remote learning.”
The projects are being delivered under Project Ireland 2040.
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