IT Tallaght secures multi million capital investment
By Mary Dennehy
IT TALLAGHT has secured a multi-million euro capital investment from the Government, which will pave the way for a significant on-campus expansion that will create space for the college to grow student numbers and courses.
As reported in The Echo last October, planning permission was granted by South Dublin County Council for the project, with college management working hard in recent months to secure funding.
The planning permission granted by the council provides for the construction of a four-storey multi-use building which will house the Tourism, Hospitality and Culinary Arts department, a technical development centre, lecture theatres and generic teaching rooms for all students to use.
In recent days, the local college received news that this expansion has been included in a €200m fund to be shared by 11 Institutes of Technology nationwide for major building projects under the Public Partnership Programme (PPP).
Speaking on the announcement of the €200m fund, Minister for Education, Richard Bruton TD said: “I have set the ambition to make Ireland the best education and training service in Europe within a decade.
“State of the art facilities are key to realising this ambition.”
President of IT Tallaght, Thomas Stone said: “This is a very important announcement for our Institute and the South Dublin County region.
“This injection of capital funding to deliver part of our campus development plan will greatly enhance the student experience and will support the delivery of the highest quality education, research and training for our region.
“It repres-ents a statement of support for the Institute at the highest level, recognising not only our past achievements and significant contribution to the region, its communities and its industrial development, but also the Institute’s strategic vision for the future on its path to be a multi-campus technological university.”
As part of last year’s planning application, permission was also granted for a sport, science, health and recreation building with a sports hall and teaching space planned over two storeys, alongside roof plant areas and a grass playing pitch with flood-lighting, score-boards and spectator seating.
While, funding for this project is not being provided for in the €200m fund, Paul Campbell, ITT estate manager, said that the Institute is “very confident” that this project will go ahead.
If both projects are completed, the college could see student numbers grow by more than 2,300 while providing the college with the scope to develop new courses.
The new development is centrally located within the campus, to the east of the existing main building.
