€3m budget set aside for heritage centre in Tallaght
SOUTH Dublin County Council has set aside an initial budget of €3m for the development of a heritage centre in a yet-to-be-decided location in Tallaght.
The heritage centre development went out to tender in recent days, with the council stating they were seeking a framework for the “interpretative planning, facilitation and exhibition of South Dublin’s heritage to create a visitor experience in a new Tallaght Heritage Centre”.
The tender process for the plans will close on February 21, and the successful tenderer will be required to report to South Dublin County Council and work alongside the Economic Enterprise and Tourism Development Directorate of South Dublin County Council.
When contacted by The Echo, a South Dublin County Council spokesperson said a site selection process for the centre was underway and they provided initial budget details for the development.
“South Dublin County Council are committed to the development of a heritage centre and a site [selection] process is underway, as is the appointment of interpretative consultants to advise on the content and internal layout of the newly proposed facility,” said the spokesperson.
“It’s too early to determine final budget but an initial budget of €3m has been established for the project.”
The topic of a heritage centre documenting the history of Tallaght and its ancient heritage has been discussed several times in recent years.
Tallaght Community Council (TCC) and the Tallaght Historical Society have been pushing for a heritage centre in the area for several years, and back in 2015 TCC lodged an unsuccessful submission for a museum in Tallaght on the council’s County Development Plan 2016-2021.
TCC then lodged another submission calling for a museum in the locality in the Tallaght Town Centre Local Area Plan in 2020.
Fianna Fáil councillor Teresa Costello tabled a motion about developing a museum in Tallaght at a council meeting in early 2020, which was supported by the majority of her colleagues – and it is now a formal objective of the Local Area Plan.
The tender process initiated by the council in recent days could be the first step towards the vision of a Tallaght Heritage Centre, that has been repeatedly called for over the years, becoming a reality.
