This has been a good week for Blanchardstown with the opening of the new town centre, a remarkable commercial development which provides a commercial and retail hub in what is now one of the largest satellite towns in suburban Dublin. As I am sure the Minister of State is aware, there has been a substantial population increase in the outer rim of the city in recent decades.
In the 1986-91 intercensal period Fingal County, in which Blanchardstown is the largest built-up area, recorded the largest population growth of any county in the State. As the Minister of State will recall, there was a considerable decline in the population of many counties. In the more recent census completed this year this trend has continued and is reflected in the census figures.
The county has the largest landbank zoned for residential development in the State. It is clear that a disproportionate percentum of the younger age cohorts in the State will be concentrated in this general area for some decades to come. A similar population pattern has developed in the Lucan and Palmerstown areas which are adjacent to Blanchardstown.
The logic for locating a regional technical college at that location is a compelling one and has been accepted in part by the steering committee which has advised the Higher Education Authority on this topic.
From the point of view of the Exchequer, there is another important aspect to this equation. There is a 31 acre site adjacent to the Blanchardstown Town Centre complex on which the Minister for Education has an option to purchase at pre-1990 prices. The difficulty is that the option to purchase expires in March 1997. Plainly, the matter should be under consideration in the context of the preparation of the annual Estimates. I urge the Government not to lose this opportunity to acquire a site for the development of a regional technical college.
The IDA has had tremendous success in securing inward investment in the western suburbs of Dublin. Major industrial sites have been developed at Leixlip, Blanchardstown and Swords. A statutory coalition has been formed with the local area partnership, comprising elected representatives and the many and varied industrial interests in the Dublin west region, to secure the establishment of a regional technical college. Given the envisaged population growth and the huge investment the State has already made in local facilities, it is essential that the momentum of inward investment is maintained.
The community is calling for the establishment of a regional technical college with teaching and research facilities in close co-operation with the varied industrial interests in the region to establish a spur for inward investment given the enormous anticipated growth in the younger age cohorts. The essential case for such a college is based on demographic grounds, the need to provide a research focus for local industrial development as well as transportation grounds. In a few weeks time the Northern Cross Motorway will open linking this area with Dublin Airport. This will give ease of access to the site for a large population in the growing greater Dublin area.
