Varadkar says €44.5m teaching building at Magee will help deliver ‘long-standing demand’ for expanded Derry university provision

The Taoiseach said the funding injection from the Shared Ireland Fund will facilitate greater co-operation between Ulster University and the Atlantic Technological University.

“Last week, the Government made some funding announcements from the shared island fund. A further €56 million has been allocated from the shared island fund to move forward with a range of substantial cross-Border investments.

"The major project is the commitment of €44.5 million for construction of a new teaching building at Ulster University’s campus in Derry. This will implement our commitment under the New Decade, New Approach agreement to capital investment at the campus for expanded provision of higher education in the north west.

"There has rightly been a long-standing demand by the people of Derry for expansion of higher education in the city and our investment contributes significantly to that goal. It will underpin the substantial and growing teaching and research co-operation between Ulster University and Atlantic Technological University in the north-west,” said Mr. Varadkar.

Last week the Irish Government described the new teaching building as part of Ulster University’s development plan to provide a campus that can increase student numbers in Derry to 6,500 and beyond.

Speaking in the Dáil this week the Taoiseach outlined how the Irish Government has now allocated almost €250 million from the shared island fund for all-island projects.

Dublin allocates €44.5m of Shared Island Fund to expand Ulster University’s Derry campus at Magee College