Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

The Grangegorman Development Agency was established in May 2006. Since its establishment the agency has worked on the preparation of a strategic plan and budget for the proposed development of the Grangegorman site. The strategic plan is required in order to inform the Government of the options and the associated costs of moving the Dublin Institute of Technology campus to the Grangegorman site as well as making recommendations on site provision for the relevant health facilities.

The agency completed the drafting of the strategic plan and budget in October 2008 and forwarded it to my Department for approval as provided in section 12(h) of the Act. Copies of the plan and budget were also forwarded to the Minister for Health and Children for her consideration. The Grangegorman Development Agency has provided my Department with a clear indication of the overall costs for the development of the Grangegorman site. This has allowed my Department the opportunity to consider fully the costs involved in utilising the majority of the Grangegorman campus to provide for the needs of DIT.

Following receipt of the strategic plan, my officials, in consultation with the Higher Education Authority, commenced an assessment of the proposals. My Department also sought the advice of the National Development Finance Agency on the funding portion of the draft cost-benefit analysis from the Dublin Institute of Technology and the draft strategic plan. In March 2009 the agency submitted a revised master plan and budget. The revised plan takes account of the reduced prices that have materialised in the construction sector by updating construction prices to January 2009 values. The agency also reduced enabling infrastructure costs and revised the estimated value of DIT property portfolio to reflect current market trends. The revised plan proposes to deliver the complete project in phases.

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