The project received Government sanction in October 1999 and is to be constructed and operated on a public private partnership basis over a 25 year period. The process of advertising, consultation, listing preferred bidders etc. was completed in February 2001, with the successful bidder being announced early in April 2001 by the then Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Woods. Planning permission was granted in August 2001 and an appeal to An Bord Pleanála upheld the planning permission in January 2002.