NUI Galway to spend EUR80m on three new projects on city campus

An €80 million programme has been announced by NUI Galway for three new capital projects on the city campus.

The projects include a new graduate school of business, a new engineering building and a new sports centre and cultural facility for the college's 13,800 students.

Support for the initiatives has been given by Atlantic Philanthropies, the foundation run by US-Irish businessman Mr Chuck Feeney, which recently confirmed a donation of €18 million to the university - the largest single gift it has received to date.

Some essential infrastructural developments associated with the three projects will also be funded under the programme. The initiatives reflect key components of the college's strategic plan for 2003 to 2008, according to the NUI, Galway president, Dr Iognaid Ó Muircheartaigh.

He called on the Government yesterday to continue its policy of investing in education to "accelerate Ireland's development as a leading knowledge economy".

Confirmation of the Atlantic Philanthropies donation has coincided with initiation of the university's fund-raising campaign - entitled the People and Place Campaign - which has a target of raising €50 million from private sources. The campaign is part of an investment, estimated at €250 million overall, in 17 new buildings, academic programmes and student facilities at the college.

Mr Tony McDonnell, president of the university student's union, said that the developments "would greatly enhance the sports and cultural dimension of student life on campus, as well as provide much-needed academic facilities in engineering and business".