Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris, has today confirmed approval has been given to the South East Technological University to expand its presence in Waterford by purchasing part of the Waterford Crystal site.
SETU will purchase 20.3 acres of the 37-acre Waterford Crystal site, the entirety of what was offered to SETU.
This is a significant milestone for the university.
Minister Harris, who will be visiting Waterford this morning, says, "This is a major moment in the development of SETU. The purchase of the site will allow SETU expand and grow, and crucially embed in the city of Waterford.
"We know the history of this site. Once a bustling site of business and tourism, the site has been largely derelict since the closure of Waterford Crystal over 14 years ago.
"Today is a new dawn for this site. Here SETU will grow and this site will once again become a bustling site for students, research, enterprise and for the people of Waterford through creation of an active and dynamic University-Enterprise Quarter."
In October of last year, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform gave permission for talks between the SETU and Noel Frisby Construction Limited to enter final negotiations for the site.
The purchase satisfies a number of wider local and regional objectives through the reusing/repurposing of a prominent brownfield site in the city.
This investment will allow SETU to cater for future student growth, address the current shortfall in Space requirements and allow the TU to be a driver of economic and social development in Waterford.
The President of SETU Professor Veronica Campbell has warmly welcomed today’s announcement.
Professor Campbell says, “I would like to thank Minister Harris for his support of our collective vision and for providing the first phase of funding to allow that vision become a reality.
"Our work to realise a University-Enterprise Quarter on the Waterford Crystal site will begin now in earnest and we look forward to developing this vision with all of our stakeholders and regional partners.
"As a university embedded in our region our ambition is to bring together academia, research, industry and our communities to create a hub of knowledge, learning, enterprise, innovation and creativity."
The formal announcement will be made by the Minister at the SETU today, following an earlier appointment in the city to officially launch the Waterford Community Safety Partnership.
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