The Tánaiste, Mary Coughlan, TD, Minister for Education and Skills, turned the first sod, on Tuesday 17 August 2010, to mark the commencement of work on the site of a new Dún Laoghaire VEC College building in Blackrock, Co Dublin. The Department of Education and Skills recently approved funding for the project which will employ over 60 people in construction and is expected to be completed in early Autumn 2011.
The event was attended by local TDs, County Councillors, VEC officials, County Council officials and other guests.
Carol Hanney, CEO DLVEC, expressed her delight in finally reaching this stage “The commencement of this new project has come at a very important time for Dún Laoghaire VEC. Senior College will be providing a wide range of full-time Further Education courses and part-time Adult Education evening courses. The development received approval at a crucial time when people are looking for opportunities to further their education and to upskill and retrain. The new building will offer greatly enhanced facilities to students and staff.”
The project follows an agreement between Dún Laoghaire VEC and Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council to allow for the refurbishment of three protected structures in Blackrock – the Blackrock Town Hall, the Carnegie Library and the Municipal Technical School. An adjoining three-storey over basement building will also be constructed. The new structure will be approximately 3,630 sqm with 250 sqm of atrium and garden space and will complement the existing structure of approximately 1,790sqm. The County Council Blackrock Library will also be incorporated in the new structure.
The architects, McCullough Mulvin, have a renowned track record in the refurbishment of old buildings and in the design of new buildings. They are eminently qualified for the project having recently won the 2010 RIAI awards both for Best Conservation/Restoration Project and for Best Educational Building.
The building contract has been awarded to Cordil Construction Ltd., an Irish company based in Galway.
Dún Laoghaire VEC and its predecessor Blackrock Technical Instruction Committee have provided education in the Blackrock area since 1901.
Senior College Dún Laoghaire was established in 1982 under the statutory authority of Dún Laoghaire Vocational Education Committee. With over 1130 full time students and 550 part-time, it is one of Ireland's largest Further Education Colleges. The new building will bring together the College's four departments (Business, Design, Information Technology and Beauty) onto one modern campus in the centre of Blackrock village.