University College Dublin and the future : a memorandum from a research group of Tuairim, Dublin branch, on the report of the Commission on Accommodation Needs of the constituent colleges of the National University of Ireland : with special reference to

56 U.C.D. and the Future

take place in a manner which permits economies in capital and running costs. Now is the time to examine these possibilities, especially the coordination of the various schemes in hand. The expansion of U.C.D. on its present site provides opportunities for economics precluded by the proposed move.

8. For the above reasons we agree with the Commission when it says that every circumstance indicated that the proper course was to seek a solution to U.C.D.'s accommodation needs in the vicinity of Earlsfort Terrace. We believe that had the Commission realised the full force of the arguments in favour of this, it would have made a more determined effort to find a solution there.

9. The Commission accepted the College's own estimate of their total accommodation needs. It considered them adequate for the then current student numbers, together with an allowance for a 20% expansion. It should be noted that the estimates allow 7,600 seats for 5,000 students, i.e. 1.5 seats per student, in comparison with the British University Grants Committee allowance of 1.2 seats per student.

10. The Commission's failure to find a solution to the problem near the present site was, we believe, fundamentally caused by-- (a) its misapplication of an architectural rule relating the area of a site to the area of floorspace that can be placed on it; (b) its exclusion of all but low buildings; (c) its favouring a very scattered lay-out of the buildings; (d) its extreme aversion to compulsory purchase.

11. The College's estimate of a total requirement of 610,630 sq. ft. nett includes 164,000 sq. ft. gross or aproximately 18.7 acres. Accepting the rule used by the Commission, this requires a total site area of 18.7 acres.

Iveagh Gardens together with the Earlsfort Terrace site provide 13 acres.

A total of 13 acres of floorspace could be sized on this without infringing on the central 4.5 acres. Hence only 5.7 acres further are required. If the Science Buildings were retained this would be reduced to about 3.7 acres-- required for future expansion only.

12. There are several possibilities in the vicinity of Earlsfort Terrace which would provide much more than the required extra area.

One possible solution would be to acquire 'The Lawn,' Peter's Place, together with some adjacent property (4.5 acres), and the Station site (4.3 acres). On these sites sufficient space for the extra needs can be found with some to spare. In acquiring these sites disturbance to business and homes would be minimal, and little or no use of powers of compulsory purchase would be required.

A policy of acquisition of other properties in the general area as they come on the market would allow for still further expansion.

13. We feel that U.C.D. should not be encouraged to grow above 5,000 fulltime students. This is already well above the optimum size for a college.

14. Wherever new College buildings are to be erected, we agree with the

Postscript 57

Commission that their planning and design should be the subject of open architectural competition.

We agree with the Commission that a university development committee should be established to supervise the different building projects and to act as liaison between the Government and the Colleges. We suggest that it should have a wider scope, and should also cover other institutions of higher education in the country.

15. For the reasons we have outlined here, and have developed more fully in the body of this Memorandum, we feel that the proposed move is both highly undesirable and entirely unnecessary.

POSTSCRIPT

U.C.D. Brochure:

Subsequent to the completion of this Memorandum, the Authorities of U.C.D. published on the 19th December a brochure entitled 'University College Dublin and its Building Plans'.

Nothing which is said in that booklet makes any alterations necessary in our views as set out in the Memorandum. Indeed, certain of the College's pronouncements add weight to our opinions.

1. The College now fully realises that even if it moves to Belfield 'a town centre will be needed for the very important work of evening classes, for university extension classes, etc.' (Brochure p.11). Evening students number some five hundred. A very limited number of subjects is at present offered to them; if space were available the range might be greatly increased. At present a single evening class may include as many as 150 students and the Earlsfort Terrace buildings are seriously crowded in the evenings. With the envisaged increased in these activities, the 'historic houses' on Stephen's Green will certainly not suffice, and room for expansion will be necessary. We estimate that for all the requirements of a 'town centre' the whole of the sound buildings at Earlsfort Terrace might be required and would have to be retained by the College. This wasteful duplication of teaching space can obviously be avoided if the College remains on its present site.

2. The College admits that some form of co-operation with Trinity College could take place-- 'It is certainly possible that an advantageous arrangement may at some time be made between the two university institutions in Dublin' (Brochure p. 18). This possibility presents a very strong argument for U.C.D.'s remaining in town. There would be little point in negotiating after the College had been transferred to the Stillorgan Road.

3. The College has abandoned the project of erecting a 'Clinical Institute' on the proposed Campus (Brochure, Legend to Lay-out Plan). This decision, so vital to the future of the Medical School, is commented on below.

4. The 'unsound buildings' at Earlsfort Terrace have had considerable sums spent on them and are now declared to be 'structurally sound enough to house the large temporary library which came into use in November, 1959.' (Brochure, figs. 22-25). This work, together with that done on the Science Buildings and

58 U.C.D. and the Future

on the old houses at Stillorgan Road amounted to 'about £150,000' (Brochure p. 20). The work was carried out notwithstanding the Government Commission's recommendation to the contrary (Report pp. 43 & 45). What a pity that this money was not spent towards a permanent solution on the present site. Meanwhile, the Harcourt Street Station site (4.3 acres) changed hands for £67,5000.

Other significant developments since June, 1958.

A number of other events of significance have occurred since the Commission made its recommendation in respect of U.C.D. in June, 1958. In our view these strengthened the case against the Stillorgan project. The majority of these events have been dealt with already, but for convenience we list them below:--

1. The agreement reached by the College with the St. Laurence Hospital group raises the total number of 'affiliated' general hospital beds on the north side of the city to near 800, in contrast to the 190 affiliated beds on the south side. We understand that there may be some difficulty in implementing this agreement to the full, but this does not alter the relative numbers of beds available to U.C.D. students on the north and south sides. This situation, together with the abandonment of the Clinical Institute and the considerable doubt that appears to exist in regard to the erection of a new hospital at Elm Park, makes the idea of a Medical school on the Stillorgan Road a very dubious one.

2. Several other city hospitals have decided to expand on our near their present sites within the central city area, e.g. the Coombe Hospital, the Dental Hospital, the St. Laurence group and the Mater Hospital. Further, we understand that there is thought to be a need for a second dental hospital in Dublin that one is being planned in conjunction with the Mater extension.

3. In the case of Veterinary education it has been agreed that the two schools (U.C.D. and Trinity) shall share the same buildings and equipment provided by the Government.

4. Plans for the development of the Institutes of Technology are proceeding and it has been announced that they may be granted powers of conferring diplomas with the status of university degrees.

5. The demand for a university college at Limerick is growing.

6. Comhlucht Siuicre Eireann has acquired and cleared a very useful site with a frontage on Earlsfort Terrace.

7. 'The Lawn', Peter's Place, previously declared to be unsuitable for College purposes has been found suitable for the needs of the Incorporated Dental Hospital, which has purchased the site.

8. The Harcourt Street Station site and the C.I.E. property to the south of Adelaide Road have become available for development. The railway line which formerly bisected the block to the south of Adelaide Road now no longer exists, and this fact radically improves the possibilities of this area: the area from Harcourt Terrace to Charlemont Street can now be planned as a continuous whole.

9. The area between the railway viaduct and Charlemont Street is in fact to be acquired by Dublin Corporation by compulsory purchase for demolition in the near future. This could make a further 3.6 acres available. The area to the west of

Postscript 59

Charlemont Street. is also to be similarly acquired. These two areas, if both were needed by the College, would add a further 9.9 acres to the 23 acres shaded on our map.

10. It has recently been reported that a detailed study is being made of the various State departments to see what sections could be transferred to provincial centres. It has been indicated that sections of the Department of Social Welfare, of the Land Commission, and of the Department of the Gaeltacht might be moved out. A decision has already been taken to move part of the Department of Lands. This development is of significance in relation to our discussion in Section II of the possibility of utilising Government offices or their sites for university purposes.

The events that have taken place since the Commission made its recommendations on U.C.D. have so altered the position that the Commission's conclusions must be re-examined. We suggest that had these events occurred earlier their cumulative effect, together with all the other considerations indicating the necessity of retaining the College in the city centre, might well have led the Commission to decide against the projected move.

Envoi

We consider that the extent of the sites in the vicinity of the College which could be acquired without undue difficulty in the near future, and the further areas which could be obtained over a longer period, completely disposes of the argument that the College cannot possibly expand from its present site. The argument from necessity does not stand.

There remains only the question of the possible desirability of the proposed move. This is a matter of opinion, and in this regard we firmly hold to the belief that it is better for the College, the City and the community that U.C.D. remain, expand and become more fully integrated into the cultural and educational complex which we have discussed in the Memorandum.

We want to emphasise that what is at stake in the controversy which has arisen is not merely the provision of teaching space for U.C.D., but the whole future of the College, the pattern of higher education in Dublin and the fate of a most important area of our Capital. If the Belfield project is begun and not completed a most unfortunate separation of faculties would result. If the whole of the College is transferred to the new site the reasons for retaining other institutions in the central area would be weakened. Consequently the whole cultural and educational complex might disintegrate.

In this Memorandum we have drawn attention to certain facts and have put forward certain arguments, and these, we believe, merit serious consideration. If our facts are sound and our arguments valid then our case stands irrespective of whether our personal views carry any weight. We welcome discussion ad criticism of all aspects of this Memorandum, both of the technical details and of the general argument, as we consider it vital that the forthcoming decision of the Oireachtas should be made in the light of all the evidence available. Only then can all feel sure that the decision will be the right one for the College and the community. We are confident that further study and discussion will serve only to strengthen our case.

60 U.C.D. and the Future

Appendix A

A NOTE ON THE COLLEGE'S EFFORTS TO EXPAND

During the last twenty years the College might have acquired a number of important properties in its immediate vicinity on the open market. Until about 1949, however, it seems that the necessary bank accommodation was not forthcoming and as a result the garage at the corner of Earlsfort Terrace and Hatch Street, which came on the market in 1942 and which could have been bought for £30,000, was not in fact acquired. Similarly, in 1945, the College wanted to purchase Mespil House and its 5 1/2 acres, but it was 'working on an overdraft and could take no action without the approval of the Department of Finance. The price which we were allowed to offer was exceeded by another semi-State body, and this chance was lost' (Report, Chapter 1, Appendix X). In 1946 'The Laurels,' Peter Place, was rejected as unsuitable for College purposes. It has recently been purchased by the Dental Hospital.

During the past ten years in which the accommodation problem has become so acute, the College seems to have abandoned any idea of expanding on the present site and to have committed itself entirely to the Stillorgan Road project. If even the Earlsfort Terrace site had been fully utilised by completing the original plan for the College, and the perimeter of Iveagh Gardens built on, a high percentage of the College needs would have been met and the gross overcrowding of the past decade would never have been experienced. The extra space required over and above that extension would now present a far less difficult problem.

The College quoted the building of the civil service canteen as its reason for deciding against expansion on its present sites (Report, Chapter 1, Appendix X): 'We made it clear that should the proposed canteen building proceed, the College could not remain at Earlsfort Terrace. In the event, that building was erected, and so the College began to look for sites in the Stillorgan Road area.'

This seems extraordinary in view of the fact that the canteen building occupies only a fraction of an acre. Very much more than this area became available in succeeding years. For example, since 1949 almost the whole of Upper Hatch Street and of the west side of Earlsfort Terrace has changed hands.

In 1949 the acquisition of the Stillorgan estates began with the purchase of 'Montrose' and 'Whiteoaks' for £64,083. 'Merville' was bought for £103,917 in 1951 and Woodview' for £22,835 in 1953. All these were bought on an overdraft. On December 1st, 1953, Dail Eireann gave its approval to a supplementary estimate enabling a capital grant to the amount of £200,000 to be made to the College in respect of its bank commitments. In the discussion on the estimate, the acting Minister for Finance said that the passing of the estimate in no way committed the Dail to any scheme of buildings at Stillorgan or elsewhere and the Government had not approved any such scheme.' (Report, p. 10, and Dail Debates, Vol. 143, cols. 1317-8).

In November 1956 the Government provided 'a grant of £20,000 for the development by the College of its grounds at Belfield.' The work carried out under this grant was not, however, confined to Belfield--the major project being the laying of a 20 ft. road, approx. 3,900 ft. long from the southern end of the site at Owenstown Park to Ardmore.

Appendices 61

Subsequent purchases, 'Byrne's Fields' in 1954, 'Belgrove' in 1955 and 'Thornfield' in 1958, and the exchange of 'Montrose' for 'Ardmore' in 1957 with the co-operation of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs, completed the College's present holdings at the Stillorgan site.

'The total cost of all the properties, excluding the Belfield sports ground came to £255,438.' This public money was spent without any public approval and before ever the Government decided to set up a commission to consider the accommodation needs of the College. Indeed, the testimony of Dr. Roger McHugh to the Commission (Report, Chapter 1, Appendix IX) indicates that even members of the Governing Body of the College could not always gain access to the information with regard to these transactions to which we would expect they were entitled--the purchases, presumably being in their name.

Appendix B

COMMENTS ON THE VIEWS OF THE COLLEGE AUTHORITIES ON THE SCIENCE BUILDINGS, MERRION STREET

The letter quoted on pages 13-16 of the Report makes two of its points effectively: That the Science Buildings are inadequate for the number of departments housed there at present; and that they are far from satisfactory from the point of view of the Engineering faculty. With these we agree, and we point out elsewhere that they could largely be remedied by the removal of the Engineering faculty (and Geology) to another building and handing over the space they occupy to the remaining Science departments.

The letter makes four other points against these buildings:

(i) 'In the centre block all the rooms face north-west, and the sun shines on the corridors.' Light from the north is ideal for the work carried on in scientific laboratories and workshops and direct sunlight is frequently troublesome and even harmful. For this reason we cannot agree that this is a valid objection to the buildings.

(ii) 'The ventilation at times ceases to extract air.' Surely this could be remedied by simpler measures than vacation of the building?

(iii) 'The drainage system does not cope adequately with the effluent from the chemical laboratories.' Again, improved drainage should not be unduly difficult, and should certainly be much less expensive than vacation of the building and its conversion to a different use.

(iv) 'Althought Merrion Street is only about five minutes walk from Earlsfort Terrace, it operates very much as a separate unit . . . Thus, we lack another important feature of university life, the mingling of students of different faculties. This isolation also affects the staff in Merrion Street, many of whom never set foot in Earlsfort Terrace.'

To this there are a number of replies, for example the College's comments on the subject of the faculty of Agriculture (page 20 of Commission's Report) 'The separation of the third and fourth year students from the general body of students, the Commission was told, is not greater than the separation of the third and fourth year science students immersed all day in their laboratories, even though these laboratories are in the College proper. The real association

62 U.C.D and the Future

is in extra-curricular activities of societies, clubs, meetings, etc.' We may add that the same arguments apply to students of medicine, in their dissecting rooms, laboratories and hospitals, and to engineering and architectural students in their drawing offices, workshops and studios, as to the science and agricultural students.

In short, after their first year, all univsity students apart from those taking the humanities are segregated in workshops of one kind or another. And even the humanists, if they are working at their subjects, will be in their libraries and seminar rooms, equally segregated from each other and from the rest of the student body.

The fact of the matter is that any university student, if he is working at his subject is out of contact with the student body in other faculties during the working day. His contact with them is made briefly at lunch-time, and essentially in extra-curricular activities, in 'the pubs and coffee shops,' in the digs and halls of residence.

Again, the isolation which the staff of the Science Buildings are said to feel could best be overcome by the provision of adequate dining and common room facilities shared with the rest of the college staff.

If the Commission's recommendation to spread the proposed college more loosely over the whole of the 250 acre site at Stillorgan Road were to be followed, this isolation of the different faculties would be much greater than at present.

Appendix C

A NOTE ON ALTERNATE USES FOR THE STILLORGAN ROAD ESTATES

If it were decided to maintain U.C.D. on its present and adjacent sites the question arises of what to do with the estates on the Stillorgan Road, apart from the land at present in use as playing fields and required for their extension.

Several projects spring to mind:

1. The erection of student (and staff) halls of residence, recreation rooms, etc. after the model of the Cite Universitaire of Paris. The student body would thus be living adjacent to the sports fields, swimming pools etc., surely a better solution than having these amenities outside the classroom windows. (Some lesser recreational facilities might be retained on the city site, e.g. the tennis courts at present provided in Iveagh Gardens and, say, a small gymnasium).

2. Some of the inadequately housed and overcrowded schools in the city area might be offered sites at Stillorgan Road. The removal of some of these schools to the suburbs would benefit both them and the College by leaving property available in areas adjacent to Earlsfort Terrace. If for example, Alexandra College, the Sacred Heart Convent, Loreto College, or the High School were to vacate their sites their acquisition would enormously benefit U.C.D. in its programme of expansion.

3. Some Government offices might be transferred to new buildings on the

Appendices 63

Stillorgan Road site. A move in this direction has, in fact, already taken place as a result of the Government's decision to locate a central Radio and Television Authority on the 'Montrose' estate, thus removing Radio Eireann from the G.P.O. Buildings.

4. It is to be noted that, because of pressure in the city centre—in particular traffic and parking problems—there is a growing tendency, favoured by Dublin Corporation, for industrial and commercial concerns to move out of town and that the Stillorgan Road is a district of choice. We may mention in this regard the recent move of Esso Ltd. to this area.

Further, the open land immediately adjoining the College estates on the west (and southwest) is gradually being encroached upon by industry. Indeed the College's Architectural Advisory Board is concerned by this matter (Report, Chapter 1, Appendix IV) and recommends that 'Consideration should be given to the acquisition of additional lands adjoining Byrne's Fields as a safeguard against unsuitable future developments and incidentally to eliminate an inconvenient enclave.'

Considering all the above points it is obvious that there would be little difficulty in finding alternative use for any land surplus to the College's requirements for playing fields, student amenities and halls of residence in this area. In fact a handsome profit might yet accrue to the College by the development of any such surplus.

64 U.C.D. and the Future

Appendix D

A LIST OF CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, AND PROFESSIONAL BODIES, SCHOOLS AND HOSTELS IN THE GENERAL UNIVERSITY AREA*

1. Cultural, Educational and Professional Bodies

The National University of Ireland University College, Dublin Trinity College, Dublin The National Gallery The National Library The National Museum Arts Council Building Centre Central Catholic Library An Comchaidreamh Dental Board Foras Eireann Gael-Linn Institute for Advanced Studies School of Celtic Studies School of Cosmic Physics School of Theoretical Physics Institute of Chemistry of Ireland Institute of Chartered Accountants Institute of Professional Civil Servants Institute of Public Administration Institute of Civil Engineers of Ireland Insurance Institute of Ireland Irish Acadamy of Dramatic Art Irish Central Library for Students Irish Conference of Professional and Service Associations Irish Dental Association Irish Folklore Commission Irish Institute of Secretaries Irish Manuscripts Commission Irish Medical Association Medical Research Council Medical Research Council Laboratories National College of Art National Film Institute of Ireland Opticians' Board Royal College of Physicians Royal College of Surgeons Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Royal Irish Academy Royal Irish Academy of Music Royal Sociuety of Antiquaries

2. Schools

Alexandra College Catholic University School Diocesan Secondary School Kildare Place Schools and Church of Ireland Training College Loreto College Sacred Heart Convent Scoil Brigid The High School Wesley College

3. U.C.D. University Hostels

De La Salle Hall Dominican Hall Loreto Hall University Hall

Also within the area, or immediately outside it, lie several important teaching hospitals, and many leading booksellers and commercial firms which provide for the needs of the universities and professions in medical and scientific equipment, optical and surveying instruments, drawing-office supplies, etc.

*Neither this list, nor that in Appendix E, is exhaustive. For example, there are several well-attended private galleries in this area. Many other cultural and educational bodies also meet in the area.

Appendices 65

Appendix E

A LIST OF GOVERNMENT AND SEMI-STATE PROPERTIES IN THE AREA

St. Stephen's Green, E. 45 An Bord Uchtala 46 Dept. of Education Secondary Branch 50-51 Office of Public Works

St. Stephen's Green, S. 78-79 Passport Office 80-81 Dept. of Ext. Affairs

St. Stephen's Green, N. 14 Industrial Development Authority

Earlsfort Terrace 13-14 Office of Public Works A/Cs. Department 25-26 Roinn na Gaeltachta 30 Coras Tractala Teo. Civil Service Dining Club Special Employment Schemes Office

Harcourt Terrace 11a Garda Barracks 12-16 Film Censor's Office 21 Dept. of Agriculture Butter Testing Station

Harcourt Street 6 Dept. of Posts & Telegraphs

Hatch Street, Lower 26 Bord na Mona

Pembroke St., Upr. 28-32 Bord na Mona

Hume Street 1 Dept. of Education 10 Office of Public Works 14 Geological Survey

Ely Place, Lower 5-6 General Valuation & Boundary Survey of Ireland Office 5 Censorship of Publications Board

Merrion St., Upper 1-5 Depts. of the Taoiseach and of Finance 7-13 Dept. of Agriculture 14-16 Land Commission 21-24 Land Commission 25-29 Land Commission 31-38 Office of Comptroller and Auditor General

Merrion Square, N. 2-3 Dept. of Finance 13 Bord Failte 26 Industrial Credit Company

Merrion Square, E. 37 E.S.B. 40-43 E.S.B. 44-45 Dept. of Industry and Commerce 45 Indust. & Commercial Property Regis. Office Patent & Trade Marks Library

Merrion Square, S. 61 Land Commission 70 An Comairle Ealaion 73 Irish Manuscript Commission Department of Lands Ceimici Teo. Statute Law Revision and Consolidation Office 83 Dept. of Lands

Merrion Square, W. 88-89 Dept. of Lands (Forestry) 93 Land Commission