Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rails and Ports, and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has today welcomed the signing of contracts that pave the way for construction of a landmark new STEM Building at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Galway Campus.

This significant development is part of the Government’s €380 million Public Private Partnership (PPP) investment in higher education infrastructure. The new facility will greatly enhance ATU Galway’s ability to deliver world-class science, technology, engineering and mathematics education, with capacity for an additional 500 students.

The new building will include state-of-the-art undergraduate and postgraduate laboratories, modern teaching spaces, flexible learning environments, and essential student and staff facilities — offering a transformative upgrade to the Galway campus.

Minister Canney said: “This is a proud day for ATU Galway and for the wider region. The signing of these contracts marks a critical milestone and clears the way for construction to begin on a state-of-the-art STEM facility that will serve generations of students to come.”

“As a former lecturer at GMIT, now ATU, I have long championed investment in regional higher education. This development at the Galway campus is not just an investment in education — it is an investment in talent, innovation, and the future of the West.”

Minister Canney also welcomed the accompanying investment in ATU Letterkenny, where a new Library, IT and Education Building will be delivered as part of the same PPP programme. That facility will support an additional 600 students and provide modern library services, ICT laboratories, and flexible teaching spaces — enhancing the capacity and quality of learning in the North-West.

“These two projects together are a powerful statement of intent — placing regional campuses like Galway and Letterkenny at the heart of Ireland’s knowledge economy,” the Minister added.