The digital hub, which is the Government's flagship project in the digital content sector, aims to cluster Irish and international new media companies, research and development and educational-community initiatives in the Liberties-Coombe area of Dublin.
The digital content industry has been identified by our development agencies as a high growth, value added industry where we already have significant strengths. Since the beginning of this year, considerable progress has been made in advancing the project. The Digital Hub Development Agency Bill, which provides for the placing of Digital Media Development Limited on a statutory footing, was published in January 2002. The Bill completed Second Stage in the Seanad on 17 October last and is currently at Committee Stage in the Seanad. It is hoped to have the legislation enacted by the end of the year.
Property purchase amounting to €75 million has been completed. The property which is currently vested in the Commissioners of Public Works will be transferred to the new agency on enactment of the legislation and the refurbishment of property purchased for the project will be undertaken by using a public private partnership model. Digital Media Development Limited commenced this process last June and recently announced that four consortia have been short-listed to go to the next stage of the PPP process.
It is envisaged that when completed, the project will deliver 500,000 square feet of enterprise, learning and educational, residential and retail space. In order to accelerate the provision of enterprise space, preliminary work is under way on the refurbishment of a 1930s landmark build ing, the Printworks, as a high-tech, broadband enabled facility catering for established and high potential start-up companies in the digital media sector in a joint venture between DMDL, Enterprise Ireland and Dublin City Council. Construction of a three kilometre high speed, fibre broadband network in the hub at a cost of €2.29 million was completed in September 2002 and a network operations centre is scheduled to be in place by the first quarter of next year.
The former executive chairperson of the company, Mr. Paddy Teahon, resigned last September and was replaced as chairperson of the board by Mr. William Burgess, former chairman and managing director of IBM Ireland. The board has recently appointed Mr. Philip Flynn as chief executive of the company who is to take up his position in December.
Additional information.Extensive consultation has taken place from the earliest stages of the project with the local community to ensure that the locality benefits from the project.
The Liberties learning initiative, an education-community based programme being run in conjunction with the development of the digital hub, is now under way. Through this, DMDL is working with local schools, training providers and the National Council for Technology in Education to promote ICT skills in the local community. In addition, a "learning space", which will provide a focal point for education and training, will be available shortly in space currently being refurbished along Thomas Street.