Grangegorman Redevelopment Begins: Taoiseach’s Inaugural Groundbreaking Event
A Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD, has turned the sod on the ‘Site Infrastructure and Public Realm’ part of the re-development of the Grangegorman site on Dublin’s northside.
The €26m contract, awarded to Roadbridge by the Grangegorman Development Agency, involves over 200 construction workers on site, providing the underpinning services that will enable the build-out of the new development.
The Taoiseach said the project would be “transformative” for Dublin’s inner city in terms of higher education, health, community, and enterprise.
Supported by European Investment Bank, it is the most significant development of its kind in any European capital city.
The Taoiseach is the title for the head of government in Ireland, similar to a Prime Minister in other countries. The role includes duties such as representing Ireland in the European Council and international affairs, nominating government members, and being a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature). The Dáil Éireann elects the Taoiseach. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, the Taoiseach of Ireland is Micheál Martin.
Who is Enda Kenny?
Enda Kenny served as Taoiseach, or Prime Minister, of Ireland from 2011 to 2017. The “TD” after his name stands for “Teachta Dála,” which is the title given to a member of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas, the Irish Parliament. Kenny is a member of the Fine Gael party. He was first elected as a TD in 1975, following the death of his father, who was also a TD.
Kenny’s time as Taoiseach was marked by several significant events, including leading the country out of a severe economic recession following the global financial crisis in 2008. His term also saw the legalization of same-sex marriage in Ireland via a 2015 referendum, making Ireland the first country to legalize same-sex marriage through a popular vote.
What is The Grangegorman Development Agency?
The Grangegorman Development Agency was established to convert the former St. Brendan’s Hospital grounds into a new urban quarter with a mix of health, education, and community facilities, including a new campus for the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), now known as Technological University Dublin. As of 2021, the redevelopment was progressing, with some facilities already operational.