Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 218: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she has reviewed the membership of the Grangegorman Development Agency and the lack of representation on this agency of the student body of the Dublin Institute of Technology; her views on appointing a student representative to the body; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22033/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The relocation of DIT, which is currently spread over 30 different sites in Dublin, to a 65-acre campus in Grangegorman is a major priority for this Government. The move will enable the Institute to provide better academic and support services for its nearly 20,000 students. It will also allow for much greater academic and social interaction between students of many different disciplines, providing a dynamic environment for a broad third level education in the heart of Dublin city centre. It also has great potential to regenerate an underdeveloped area of the North Inner city.

I recently announced the appointment of Mr. John Fitzgerald, City Manager, Dublin City Council as Chairman of the Grangegorman Development Agency and I am now actively considering the other appointments to the Agency. The general aim of the Agency is to oversee the Development of the lands at Grangegorman on behalf of the Departments of Education and Science and Health and Children, the Dublin Institute of Technology and the Health Service Executive.

The Grangegorman Development Agency Act 2005 provides for a total membership of 15 in the agency including the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer. There is no specific provision for a student or staff representative from the DIT. The legislation does provide that 2 ordinary members of the agency will be nominated by the President of DIT and it is clearly a matter for the President to determine who to nominate having regard to the functions of the agency set out in the Act and its governance role in relation to the development.

The legislation recognises the student body of DIT specifically among the stakeholders that should be represented on the Consultative Group provided for in Section 22 of the Act. Up to 2 members of the Consultative Group can come from the student body.

My officials recently met the President of DIT Students' Union and explained how the Consultative Group will give the stakeholders an opportunity to outline their views and participate fully in the Grangegorman development. The Act also provides for the Consultative Group to hold as many meetings as may be necessary to maintain an adequate communications strategy concerning the development of the Grangegorman site. The Consultative Group reports to the Chairperson of the Agency.