A new €1 billion campus for Trinity College is set to be developed in the heart of Dublin's docklands.
It was announced this morning as part of the Grand Canal Innovation District which is a new urban centre for the capital that will combine startups, multi-national companies and universities.
It will become the famous old college's second campus, focused on technology and innovation on a site located adjacent to Grand Canal Quay and Macken Street.
Provost of Trinity, Dr Patrick Prendergast, said: “The presence of a world class university at the heart of the Grand Canal Innovation District will be the catalyst for collaboration and partnership between industry and universities.
"I am therefore delighted to announce that Trinity has decided after much thought to commit to taking the historic step of developing a second campus dedicated to technology and innovation on a designated site adjacent to Grand Canal Quay and Macken Street in the heart of the district.
"This 5.5-acre site is ideally suited to the proposed use and will transform the existing area.”
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar is launching the plan in Dublin this morning and he spoke of the "exciting opportunity".
He said: "I am really excited about this plan to further develop the Silicon Docks as an Innovation District involving a collaboration of business, Government and the university sector.
“We have to ask ourselves; how can we market Ireland and Dublin as the ideal location for the next wave of investment? As the world changes around us, we must continuously adapt and future-proof our economy.
"The development of the Grand Canal Innovation District is an exciting opportunity to build a world-class innovation district where companies, researchers and entrepreneurs link up, to identify new products or services and discuss how they might be brought to market.”
Funding for the new Trinity College campus will be financed by the university in collaboration with industry, debt-funding entities and other sources of funding.
