€14m innovation centre boost for start-up companies
THE sod was turned on the development of a new €14m innovation centre in the Cookstown regeneration area of Tallaght on Tuesday.
The sod was turned by Minister Peter Burke and Independent councillor Alan Edge, who was representing Mayor Peter Kavanagh, along with South Dublin County Council’s chief executive Daniel McLoughlin.
The innovation centre is a council-led initiative and is set to be completed in 2023. The centre will be a four-storey, 2,980m. sq building of “significant architectural merit”, according to the council.
It will provide three floors of flexible office accommodation to support start-up enterprises, and will have capacity to accommodate up to 60 businesses.
Within the building, there will be a public area on the ground floor with a town hall space and a café, complete with a co-working space and lettable offices in various sizes on the upper floors of the building.
The innovation centre will front directly onto a new urban plaza, as part of a wider new urban district called Innovation Quarter Tallaght.
Speaking at the sod turning, Minister Burke said: “I am delighted to be in Tallaght today to turn the sod on this very exciting development.
“The innovation centre that will be built here will provide a significant boost for startups in South Dublin County and aid their development and growth.
“I commend South Dublin County Council and the Local Enterprise Office for their initiative in developing this centre and in their vision to support startup enterprise.”
Daniel McLoughlin, chief executive of South Dublin County Council, said: “The Tallaght Innovation Centre, is a significant addition to the support and development infrastructure for micro and small enterprises in the county.
“The centre will form a core part of the progression pathways open to start-up and growing businesses in South Dublin.
“Our Local Enterprise Office, which has actively supported and engaged with over 3,600 enterprises and entrepreneurs, will work closely with businesses in the innovation centre to drive their development and scalability, creating more opportunities for the citizens of South Dublin County.”
The new facility will support the creation of over 700 jobs, which will be worth €80m to the economy, stated the council.
