Taoiseach Enda Kenny visited IT Carlow on 19th September 2013 for the official naming of the new Research, Development and Innovation Centre on campus. The Centre will provide a multi-million euro research and innovation nucleus for the South East region. Named the Dargan Centre, after Carlow born Engineer William Dargan, the facility will by 2016, host over 100 post graduate and post-doctoral researchers developing new technologies and commercial innovations.
Members of William Dargan’s family were in attendance, and included James Dargan Ward, who spoke about his great, great, great grand uncle and his many achievements including the design and build of Irelands first railway.
Speaking at the event, Institute of Technology Carlow Governing Body Chairman Mr John Moore noted that the multi-million euro project had been funded out of the Institute’s own diversified income streams and said ‘our staff run the most efficient Institute of Technology in the country while achieving and maintaining academic excellence and an enriching student experience. They continuously evolve our ambitious strategic plans while delivering on our existing mission. We are proud of what they do’.
Institute of Technology Carlow President Dr. Patricia Mulcahy described the significance of the new Dargan Centre: ‘It is not just another new building on-campus. It is an essential vehicle for our most important resource – our intellectual talent – and it has been designed to help that talent grow, thrive and spread for the ultimate benefit of our economy and society.’
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny spoke of the opportunities the new Dargan Centre brings to the Institute and the wider community and how the new Centre, and those who work in it, will have the capacity to impact and influence change.
He also acknowledged the progress to date on the Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology joint submission for designation as a Technological University stating that, ‘the process is well under way and it has the support of government’.
The Taoiseach concluded his visit by meeting with members of the Institute’s centres of research and enterprise including EnviroCORE, DesignCORE, GameCORE, GeoCORE, SecurityCORE, the Rehabilitative Sciences Research Centre and the National Centre for Men’s Health. All centres of research at Institute of Technology Carlow will now be housed in the new Dargan Centre which is due to open in the coming weeks.
ENDS
For more information contact:
Muirghin Brophy.
Communications Officer IT Carlow
communications@itcarlow.ie / 059 9175083
Images (1) Taoiseach Enda Kenny at the New Multi-Million Euro Dargan Centre at IT Carlow.
L – R Nigel Tighe, Regional Director Purcell, Justin Hynes, Scott, Tallon& Walker Architects, Michael Bane, MD, Purcell, Cormac O’Toole, Secretary / Financial Controller IT Carlow, Podge Sheehan, IT Carlow Student’s Union President, Peter Dudley, Director Scott, Tallon& Walker Architects, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny, John Moore, Chairman of the Governing Body at IT Carlow Don Mc Mahon, Site Manager Purcell, Dr. Patricia Mulcahy, President, IT Carlow, Brian Looney, Contracts Manager Purcell, Sandy Duane, IT Carlow Student’s Union Deputy President, Pat Deering TD, Cllr. Michael Doran, Vice Chairman of IT Carlow Governing Body, Pat Murphy, Head of Capital Development Projects, IT Carlow.