Minister for Further & Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD; Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD; Professor Gina Quin, President of NCI. Photo Sasko Lazarov, Photocall Ireland.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD officially opened National College of Ireland’s Spencer Dock Building today, saying:
“I'm delighted to officially open this new state-of-the-art new building at the National College of Ireland as NCI celebrates its 75th anniversary. This new development will serve the college’s current 6,500 students and thousands more in the years to come, enabling NCI to continue to deliver its mission ‘to change lives through education’."
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD, remarked:
“National College of Ireland has a unique history, which over 75 years has formed a unique Higher Education Institute, that provides equity of access to programmes in business, social sciences and computing, aligned with the future skills-needs of the country. The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science welcomes the expansion of the NCI campus and recognises it as a significant investment in access to education including initiatives such as apprenticeships, tertiary degrees and cutting-edge, industry-led programmes.”
Connecting the IFSC to the NEIC
Speaking on this important milestone in NCI’s history, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam said:
“National College of Ireland is deeply embedded in the communities surrounding it, most especially through both its diverse pathways to success in education and its Early Learning Initiative, which has a new and larger base here at NCI Spencer Dock, with national reach. NCI is a very special higher education institute: the sort of place where stepping into a lift, you can find yourself in the company of a multinational CEO, the next generation of entrepreneurs and technologists, and a parent and toddler from Sherriff Street. It is brilliant to see the college grow both in size and in reach.”
Professor Gina Quin, President of National College of Ireland, said:
“I am delighted to welcome the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD and to acknowledge their generous support for our campus expansion in the heart of Dublin’s North-East Inner City, at the crossroads of the IFSC and Silicon Docklands. NCI will continue to prioritise access to higher education, innovative pedagogies, future skills, and the supports necessary to ensure our students from all backgrounds can reach their full potential. I am also delighted to welcome Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Ray McAdam. We will continue to prioritise the local community through the work of the Early Learning Initiative as part of our higher education mission ‘to change lives through education’.”
State-of-the-art facilities
Representing the student body, Tre Robert, President of NCISU, remarked:
“Today I stand here as: a Masters graduate; a scholarship recipient; President of the Students’ Union. But more importantly, I stand here as proof: proof that when access meets opportunity, transformation happens.”
Brendan McGinty, Chairman of NCI’s Governing brought proceedings to a close:
“On behalf of the NCI Governing Body, I would like to thank the Taoiseach and the Minister for all their support in making the expansion of the NCI campus possible. I would like to congratulate all the Governing body members; President, Professor Gina Quin, and all the NCI staff and students on this tremendous new building that demonstrates the continuing importance of National College of Ireland as it marks its historic 75th Anniversary.”
Further information on NCI Spencer Dock
NCI Spencer Dock won a 2025 Education Award for Best Infrastructure Upgrade, acknowledging the great project management, the clever budgeting, careful time management, use and reuse of sustainable materials, and move to greener energy, as well as the great collaboration externally and internally that was necessary to both refurbish and get the building up and running.
Only 300 meters (less than a 5-minute walk) from NCI Mayor Square, the original NCI building dating from when the college moved from Ranelagh to Dublin 1 in 2000, NCI Spencer Dock provides
• a new library of almost 2,140 square meters (three times the size of the previous library!) housing an academic support centre, group study suites, silent study, maker and collaboration spaces;
• increased accessibility including extensive availability of a hearing loop in teaching spaces;
• flexible learning spaces, with high acoustic performance, integrated AV/IT, including folding walls that can increase or decrease classroom size – with no compromise on acoustics when used as two smaller rooms;
• a new home base for NCI’s Early Learning Initiative;
• a student café on the top floor with fantastic views back over the Dublin City;
• 7 staff kitchenettes, stocked with tea, coffee, fruit, biscuits;
• 7 staff meeting rooms and a board room.
More about National College of Ireland
National College of Ireland’s mission is ‘to change lives through education’. A HEA-funded, not-for-profit, independent, third-level institution, with over 6,500 students across its key areas of human relations, business, computing, education and psychology, NCI has recently extended its foothold in Dublin’s North-East Inner City. Located at the intersection of the IFSC and the Silicon Docks, with campus buildings at Mayor Square and now at Spencer Dock, NCI has strong connections with the businesses surrounding it.
With 75 years’ experience of working with employers to identify skills gaps and delivering cutting edge education and careers service to ambitious students, NCI has a consistently high graduate employment rate, and has produced many entrepreneurs.
National College of Ireland is informed by values of inclusion, community, integrity, dynamic innovation, centering the learner, and excellence – both striving for it as an institution and fostering it in our students.