Pages 52 & 53

52 U.C.D. and the Future

It also assumes that the Government is unwilling to extend the lease to the
College of Science Buildings in Merrion Street.

The ultimate result of this scheme would be to site the faculties in three
contiguous groups as follows:

1. Engineering (with the Department of Geology) and Architecture--between
the Canal and Adelaide Road.

2. Science--between Adelaide Road and Hatch Street.

3. All the remainder--on the Terrace/Gardens site.

The sites that we regard as being available without undue difficulty in these
areas (as explained in Section V) extend to 4.5, 4.3 and 13 acres respectively,
without the including the existing roadways. In each case the site for the faculties
mentioned is more than sufficient for present needs and the 20% expansion
for which the Commission has estimated.

1. Plan

Dublin Corporation as the appropriate planning authority should be requested
to use its powers under the appropriate acts to reserve areas in the vicinity for
future university use.

II. Retain and Regroup

1. Retain, at least for the time being, the Science Buildings in Upper Merrion Street.

2. (a) Evacuate the Engineering faculty and the department of Geology to a
new site (see below).

(b) Request the Government to evacuate both the Seed Testing Laboratories of the Department of Agriculture and the State Laboratory from the
Science Buildings. The former would be more happily accommodated at any
of the agricultural stations of the Department or of An Foras Taluntais, whilst
the latter might be sited at Glasnevin in conjunction with the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards.

The space thus set free in Merrion Street would enable the remaining
Science departments, Chemistry, Botany and Zoology to meet their
present needs and still leave them some room for expansion. It would be a
long time before overcrowding again became so bad as to force the removal
of a further Science department.

It might be argued that such a redistribution of space in the Science
Buildings would be wasteful, if in the long run Merrion Street had to be
completely evacuated. This need not be so. Modern methods of building
laboratory furniture and fittings in 'units' render such equipment flexible
and readily transportable to another place.

3. Evacuate the administration from the Earlsfort Terrace block, thus providing
immediately some more teaching space. Rehouse the administration in such
property as could be acquired anywhere in the general area. This separation
of administration need be only a temporary measure, for as indicated under
'Build' below there is sufficient space available to enable the administration
to be included in new building.

Suggestions Towards a Solution 53

III. Purchase

1. The Harcourt Street Station site (4.3 acres).

2. 'The Lawn,' also the C.I.E. property south of Adelaide Road and as much
of the adjoining areas as could be obtained with or without compulsory
purchase. The total area that is most readily available in this block amouts
to 4.5 acres (see Section V)).

3. Any other property in this general area as it becomes available. The site now
belonging to Comhlucht Siuicre Eireann Teo, mentioned earlier should be
considered.

Immediate action would be necessary in the case of all these properties.

IV. Build

From the point of view of the relief of overcrowding, immediate acion
under this heading is also imperative.

1. Buildings for the faculty of Engineering (together with Geology) and the
faculty of Architecture could be erected in the area between the Canal and
Adelaide Road. It is important to realise that the erection of buildings
here need not necessarily await the acquisition of the whole 4.5 acres
mentioned in Section V,-- 'The Lawn' and the adjoining field are open
ground on which operations might commence immediately. Provision would
have to be made elsewhere for the needs of the Dental Hospital which has
but lately acquired 'The Lawn'.

Long term expansion on this site would proceed by gradual acquisition
of neighbouring property as it comes on the market. The total area that
might eventually be acquired in this block, bounded by Adelaide Road,
Harcourt Terrace, Charlemont Place and Charlemont Street, is 13.3 acres.

Those who would object to the erection of new university buildings be-
hind the back gardens of existing houses would do well to remember that
the College of Science was erected on just such a site, and operated for
many years before the Georgian terrace in Merrion Street was eventually
demolished to make way for the wings of the block, which now house
Government offices.

2. In this 'sample scheme' the Station site would be reserved for a later phase
and would eveentually provide a site for new Science buildings. Meanwhile
the departments of Chemistry, Botany and Zoology would share the whole
of the present Science Buildings, including the space at present occupied
by the Engineering faculty, the Seed Testing Laboratory, and the State
Laboratory. Geology we have sited with the Engineering faculty. Physics
could either be allowed to expand on the Terrace/Gardens site, or in
new premises erected on the Station site as the first of the new Science buildings.

Long term expansion from this site would first proceed by the gradual
acquisition of the remaining property in the block. The total area bounded
by Harcourt Street, Upper Hatch Street, Earlsfort Terrace, and Adelaide Road is 6.9 acres. More distant expansion, if ever necessary, might extend
across Earlsfort Terrace and down Hatch Street.