Introduction
It is a great pleasure to be with you today to lay the foundation stone for this new Information Technology Building. When fully completed, this will be the largest academic building ever constructed on the UCC campus – delivering an additional 25,000 square metres of new space.
I have no doubt that this flagship building will further strengthen the profile of University College Cork at the frontier of ICT and biomedical science. And it will greatly enhance Cork’s attractiveness to high-end investment in these key areas.
The initial three-storey phase of this project is set for completion in 2009, reflecting a capital investment of as much as €67 million - including Exchequer funding of €39 million under the NDP.
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the Governing Authority of the University for its achievement in raising the balance of funding through the UCC Foundation and from private sources.
The visionary approach of the University Authorities is also apparent in the plans to construct a further two floors on the building. This reflects a projected increase of 20,000 in student intake by 2010/11, and a doubling of postgraduate students in the same time frame. By the time the entire project is completed, overall project investment is likely to be in the region of €100m.
The building will include lecture theatres, undergraduate and postgraduate teaching laboratories, research space and a new riverside café. A key feature is the new IT incubation suite, which will encourage start-up software development companies.
The IT building will be a key to maintaining the University's position at the forefront of third and fourth level teaching and research in Ireland. The Government’s support reflects our commitment to the delivery of world class facilities for the higher education sector, consistent with our ambitions for a knowledge-based economy and society.
Design
It is particularly welcome that sustainability has been a key driver in the design of this building. The use of natural light is going to be maximised and energy consumption and associated CO2 emissions will be minimised. These innovative design elements point the way for the overall direction in which the design of new facilities needs to be geared, as we face up to the challenges of creating environmentally friendly and energy-efficient sustainable buildings.
Further design elements of the new building include a riverside walk and pedestrian bridge that will link the building to student accommodation located at Victoria Cross. This in turn reflects City Council’s plans for developing amenities in the area and is a good example of integrated planning.
Significant Development Programme
One of the most striking features of the campus here at University College Cork is the evidence of developments either recently completed or underway – all pointing to a dynamic, vibrant and progressive University.
Only last month, the Minister for Education and Science officially opened another major project, the extension to the Boole Library. With €32 million funding under the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions, this is now providing significant additional facilities for postgraduate students.
The €45 million development at the Brookfield Health Sciences Complex was opened in 2005. It in turn provides ultra modern facilities for students and staff in the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, as well as Clinical Therapies.
And the year 2006 saw the opening of the new School of Pharmacy; the Analytical and Biological Chemistry Research Facility; the Environmental Research Institute (ERI); and the re-opening of the Crawford Observatory, following an extensive programme of refurbishment and conservation. All in all, a lot has been happening here at UCC.
PRTLI and SFI Success
I am delighted that the Government has been able to provide over €100 million under the National Development Plan over the last five years towards many of these projects.
I want also to put acknowledge the University’s excellent performance and achievement in securing awards of capital funding under the very competitive PRTLI. To date, the University has secured approval for twenty projects under the four cycles of the programme. And you will no doubt build on this excellent performance under Cycle 5, which the Minister for Education and Science will be announcing shortly.
UCC, including the Tyndall National Institute, has also attracted significant funding from Science Foundation Ireland since it made its first awards in 2002 - in fact, as much as €268 million by way of 335 awards across all SFI programmes. One of the largest of these investments is of course the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre (ABC), which has clearly grown in scope, scale and international stature since its launch four years ago.
Science Awareness
While I am here, I would like to take the opportunity to pay tribute to the work being done by Professor William Reville and UCC to develop public interest in science. I am referring in particular to your ongoing series of free open lectures on different aspects of science and technology and your excellent website - understanding science.
As Professor Reville recently pointed out, a Eurobarometer poll carried out last year found that there was quite a low level of interest in Ireland in news stories relating to scientific research, compared to the EU average. At the same time, our economic and social development is, more than ever before, dependent on science, technology, innovation and application. So we need to raise the profile of science and technology and show that they are accessible, interesting, entertaining and relevant to people's lives and the world in which we live. We need more people talking science, more people taking an interest in the latest in technology.
Ireland has a quite a rich scientific heritage, not least, George Boole, the first Professor of Mathematics in this College and "The Father of Computer Science". Hopefully, the awareness raising work being done by UCC and other bodies around the country will help lead to increased levels of scientific literacy and with it, a substantial increase in our number of scientists, engineers and technologists - and a good few more "Super Irish Scientists" like George Boole.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I would like to extend once again my best wishes to all concerned here at UCC in transforming this new IT building – and indeed the full range of progressive projects throughout the University – from vision to reality.
Ireland’s future has never been more dependent on a dynamic and vibrant higher education sector. The evidence in Cork here today gives us every reason to embrace that future with confidence.
Thank you very much for your attention.
ENDS