The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh T.D. today (Friday February 22nd), visited Limerick Institute of Technology to turn the sod on the brownfield site of LIT’s new engineering-focused Coonagh campus as part of Project Ireland 2040.
Minister McHugh said: “The €11.57m commitment to LIT Coonagh campus shows the positive impact Project Ireland 2040 is having on third level education in Limerick.”
Phase 1 of the campus development allows for dedicated new space for engineering programmes which will meet the needs of a growing student population and industry in the region.
Minister McHugh said: “The engineering profession has one of the highest growth rates in Ireland.
“The expanding engineering disciplines facilitated by Project 2040 investment in Coonagh will enable further job growth and research and development in the mid-west region.”
The availability of space at Coonagh will enable LIT to expand a range of other programmes over time and provide much-needed additional sports facilities on the north side of the city.
Turning the sod on the development, Minister McHugh said: “I welcome LIT’s development of this engineering campus here at Coonagh. The funding provided by the Department under Project Ireland 2040 will support LIT as a key driver of the enterprise, innovation and skills agenda in the mid-west region.
“It is a critical investment in engineering education and research infrastructure and it is vital to attract new companies and grow the existing industry base in the Mid-West into the future.
“Our support for the LIT Coonagh Campus is part of a broader commitment under Project Ireland 2040 to investing in the expansion and upgrade of higher education infrastructure. Some €2.2 billion has been earmarked in the National Development Plan for investment in infrastructure across the sector over the coming decade.”
Minister McHugh will also visit the new site for Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh during his visit to Limerick.
The project, which will be delivered under Project Ireland 2040, aims to deliver 45 general and specialist classrooms with ancillary spaces, a General Purpose Dining Area and a new PE facility. This project will accommodate up to 750 pupils.
Minister McHugh commented: “I am delighted to be here today to meet with the Principal of Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh, Donncha Ó Treasaigh, to see first-hand the new permanent site for the school. This is a very exciting project which will deliver state of the art facilities for Gaelcholáiste Luimnigh.”