Welcoming the announcement that the Grangegorman site is to be developed as a centralised Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) campus, Fine Gael Dublin Central Deputy, Paschal Donohoe, said the project has the potential to dramatically change the face of Dublin 7 and the northside of the city.

"The Grangegorman project is one that has taken considerable effort to get off the ground. So I am thrilled that it has been given the green light today by Government as part of a wider €2 billion stimulus package.

"The impact this development will have on Dublin 7 and the surrounding area is significant. Much needed construction jobs will be created during the construction stage, with local shops and traders set to benefit considerably from a massive influx of students to the area.

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"There are three elements involved in the first part of the development which is being included in Phase 1 of the PPP Programme. The first element is the renovation of the current listed buildings on the site which is expected to be completed by 2014. The Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA) has confirmed to me that by this stage the new campus will be in a position to accommodate 1,000 students.

"The second element will support Public Private Partnerships to deliver two new quadrants for the campus. The first will be for sports and science and the second quadrant will house the arts and tourism disciplines. By 2017 the aim is to have 10,000 additional pupils on site. The third element, which will run concurrently, will focus on putting the support infrastructure such as roads, pipes and drains in place for the proper functioning of the facility.

"Many of the buildings that are currently housing DITs in 39 separate locations are in dire need of refurbishment so it makes financial sense to put the money we have into a new campus, rather than to attempt multiple restoration projects. The savings to the State in terms of consolidating costs where security, staff and procurement are concerned will also be considerable."

(CD)