The Department of Higher & Further Education looks set to fund two major projects in Tipperary.
The first is the development of a shared campus on the former Kickham Barracks site in Clonmel – this is in conjunction with Tipperary ETB and TUS.
The second is for an extension of the TUS building in Thurles
Local Senator Garret Ahearn says the multi-million Euro investment which Minister Simon Harris is expected to announce today would be a huge vote of confidence and says the Clonmel application was seen as one of the best put forward.
“It will result in 79 to 90 staff working there – 50 to 65 staff in the ETB and about 25 from TUS.
“It will also result in 400 to 450 Higher Level students on the campus and nearly 900 Further Education learners being located on the site. At the moment Tipperary ETB have a number of sites in Clonmel but building this location means that they will have all of them on the one site.”
Minister Harris is due to visit the former army base in Clonmel this afternoon where an official announcement is expected.
He will then travel to Thurles where Further Education students are likely to benefit according to Senator Garret Ahearn.
“Students will be able to study Applied Science, IT, Health & Wellbeing, and Energy Efficiency & Sustainability. Again it’s a multi-million Euro project.
“Thurles in particular is renowned as an educational town and this again will strengthen that so it’s two really significant multi-million Euro investments and I know speaking to people in the ETB and in the College it’s hugely welcomed by all.”
