Work is expected to start next year on a major new centre for research and innovation in University College Dublin (UCD).

Announcing the move to detailed design stage, Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe said the project is a major cornerstone of the government's plan to build the 'smart economy'.

"I'm officially approving the development of Elements B and D of the UCD Science Centre.

"Elements B and D will house over 2,000 undergraduate students and 525 postgraduate students in 18,600sq/m of space.

"The new building, which is expected to be fully financed by Exchequer funding, will be developed beside the existing science centre which is made up of a number of buildings located close together," said Minister O'Keeffe.

The project involves the construction of a 10,000sq/m new building and the refurbishment of 8,600sq/m of existing adjoining buildings.

Element A of the Science Centre is almost complete so the next phase in the project is to move ahead with Elements B and D.

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"By refurbishing the buildings and building new facilities we'll double the scale of UCD's science centre and expand the university's fourth-level capacity with a specific focus on research and innovation.

"Elements B and D of the new Science Centre will have a strong research and innovation component and focus mainly on undergraduate teaching.

"It'll include dedicated teaching, laboratory, classroom, problem-based learning and associated student and staff facilities," said Minister O'Keeffe.

The project was given the go-ahead following a rigorous government appraisal applied to all proposals for large-scale building projects in higher education.

It's the latest capital announcement for the higher education sector.

Five other large-scale building projects are planned for the sector this year - the redevelopment of the St Patrick's College of Education in Drumcondra, Co Dublin; the engineering building in NUI Galway; the library in NUI Maynooth, Co Kildare; the Law School in UCD; and a 4,000sq/m graduate medical school building in the University of Limerick.

The estimated total cost of these five projects is €162m which will create 1,500 direct jobs in the construction sector.

The jobs figure is based on industry analysts' conservative estimate that 9.3 is the average number of direct jobs created annually by €1 million of investment.

'The Government's Framework for Economic Renewal, launched by the Taoiseach last December, establishes Ireland's ambition to become internationally renowned as an innovation island.

"UCD's Science Centre is a strategic infrastructural project which will be critical in ensuring that our higher education system is appropriately geared to support the Government's economic development ambitions," added Minister O'Keeffe.

(PR/JM)