Taoiseach hails new era in Irish education

St Patrick’s Drumcondra unveils €50m campus development

Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, has visited St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra to mark the completion of a significant €50m campus development plan.  The new, state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities include a library with collaborative digital learning facilities, a new gymnasium as well as extensive teaching spaces.  The development will also open up the campus to the local community through new public exhibition spaces and lecture theatres and contribute to the regeneration of Drumcondra Village.

The campus developments are taking place against the backdrop of the coming together in 2016 of  St Patrick’s College, Mater Dei and CICE with DCU,  which will establish a new DCU Education Institute, one of the largest and most significant centres of teacher education and research in Europe.  The DCU Incorporation will advance international best practice in this area through its 130 faculty members, providing both Initial Teacher Education and Continuing Professional Development for more than 4000 student teachers and educators across the full education continuum, from early childhood through primary and secondary to third and fourth level.  

Speaking at the event, the Taoiseach, who is a graduate of St Patrick’s (1970) said,

“The new facilities opened here today will have a profound impact on the student experience for generations of young teachers, providing a holistic, connected environment which will optimise teaching and learning opportunities.  These developments come at a time of unprecedented change for education in Ireland with the coming together of Dublin City University, St Patrick’s College, Mater Dei and the Church of Ireland College of Education in a new Institute of Education.  This incorporation, the largest reconfiguration of education provision in the history of the State, will herald a new era for education in Ireland.”

President of St Patrick’s College, Professor Daire Keogh said,

“This campus development marries the long tradition of excellence in teacher education at St Patrick’s College with modern, innovative methods of teaching and learning.  It provides an environment which students will love, where they can benefit from pioneering research, and the latest developments in digital pedagogies.  As we move into DCU, we will harness St Pat’s heritage and strengths to create unequalled opportunities as part of the new DCU Education Institute and expanded Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.”

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, Archbishop of Dublin and Patron of St Patrick’s College, paid tribute to the thousands of graduates from St. Patrick’s College who had gone on to educate and enrich the lives of children and communities throughout the country. He said the College had an a unique culture and heritage, and he expressed the hope that would continue and flourish within the structures of the new Institute.

Funding for the project was received through the Government’s National Development Plan 2007-2013.  The design team comprised Taylor Architects, Bruce Shaw (Project Management), PUNCH (Consulting Engineers), Delap & Waller (Building Services Consultants) and Bruce Shaw (Quantity Surveyor) and the building work was contracted to JJ Rhatigan & Co.