Clonmel tertiary campus
Deputy Murphy asked for an update on the proposed college of the future in Clonmel. The Tánaiste praised the interagency work on the Kickham Barracks site and said he was delighted to see the project and Garda station progressing.
I ask the Tánaiste to provide an update on the proposed college of the future for Clonmel. It is a project with which the Tánaiste is very familiar. The proposal is the first of its kind for a fully integrated tertiary campus of further and higher education on the one site in the heart of Clonmel. I pay tribute to all of the stakeholders involved, particularly Tús and Tipperary ETB. We are very much ready to move forward to the detailed design and planning phase. It is on the former Kickham Barracks site in Clonmel. It is the final phase and we are anxious to realise the ambition and vision we have for the site. Phase one, the plaza, is complete and phase two is under construction. The latter is the new south Tipperary Garda headquarters. In terms of the college of the future, I ask the Tánaiste to engage with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, to drive this project forward.
Comment on this
I certainly will because, as the Deputy said, I have an interest in this project. I remember being in Clonmel with Deputy Murphy on many occasions. The work of Tipperary County Council, Tipperary ETB and all of the really good interagency work being done on the Kickham Barracks site is really impressive. It is a really good example of people pulling together to see how they can improve, modernise and rejuvenate their town. I know Deputy Murphy played a role in that as the mayor and now as a TD. I am delighted to see the Garda station under way as well. I was there for sod-turning of that. I have seen the plaza too. There is great work going on. The key piece now is to get this college of the future in place. It will provide extraordinary access to education for people in south Tipperary, involving partnerships with Tús and the university too. It is my understanding that the Minister, Deputy Lawless, who is very committed to this project and the further education and training, FET, college programme in general, had a meeting recently with all 12 of the chief executives, including in Tipperary. The message to them was to be ready and to ensure that their design teams are appointed this year. Let us get the design team appointed for the Clonmel project and power on. I will certainly keep a close eye on this too.