Wicklow County Campus was acquired in 2006 in collaboration with IT Carlow. Part time Lifelong Learning Higher Education programmes began in autumn 2006 in Business & Arts. The campus continues to offer a variety of Lifelong Learning Higher Educations programmes on a part – time basis in partnership with Institute of Technology, Carlow. The campus accomodates a number of County Agencies including the Wicklow Co. Enterprise Board.

The Clermont Campus comprises approx 55 hectares of which Wicklow County Council owns a substantial part. The old school buildings of Clermont secondary school are on the grounds. A further 30 hectares zoned for Employment Use lies adjacent to the Campus.

In 2007, Wicklow County Council set about developing a “Strategic Plan” for the campus. The Wicklow County Campus Strategic Plan 2008-2013. This was completed in 2008 and adopted by Wicklow Co. Council.

The opening Mission Statement states:

Wicklow County Campus is being developed by Wicklow County Council to be a Centre of Excellence in Enterprise , Education and Innovation in County Wicklow and to act as a catalyst for Economic Development in the County. Wicklow County Campus is committed to the promotion of higher education and training through the provision of internationally recognised higher education opportunities, enterprise support programmes and other economic development activities.

Shortly after I was elected as Wicklow Co. Council Chairman in 2005 , this property came on the market. I immediately set about exploring the possibility of the Council acquiring it for the purposes of providing an education and enterprise centre for the whole of the County of Wicklow. Despite the Department of Education and the Government showing no enthusiasm for the proposal initially, once Carlow IT got involved, this project became a reality.
Having been closely involved with identifying the site for the Wicklow Co. Campus in 2006, I have watched how the campus has grown in a relatively short period of time and I have remained hugely interested in fostering its development and maximising its potentiel.

As with all things, it is important to change with the times. The changing economic situation, together with the need to create jobs opportunities and define a path for the future, underlines the importance of having the Vision for this project.

An initiative in early 2009 brought private and public interested bodies together to discuss the theme of Wicklow as a centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy and Zero Carbon Construction and from this came the Vision to develop a Centre of Excellence in Innovation, Enterprise and Education at Wicklow County Campus incorporating a Strategy on Renewable Energy.
The Vision places renewable energy technologies and sustainable design at its core including a parallel emphasis on Passive house construction and zero energy building. The Vision will also have an environmental focus, and will encourage research & development regarding other natural resources within Co. Wicklow.

This Plan for the Campus will see the Wicklow County Campus at Clermont becoming a thriving business and educational community focussed on innovation and sustainable development. Wicklow County Council is the owner of the Campus. Strategic partners with the Council are The Institute of Technology Carlow, Wicklow County Enterprise Board and the V.E.C..Other committed parties include Wicklow Chamber of Commerce and Coillte Teoranta amongst others. Having met and discussed this development Plan with some of the parties involved, I am convinced of the successful delivery of this Vision and I will do continue to offer my absolute support.

In this regard my role as member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Change and Energy Security may prove to be beneficial for Wicklow Co. Campus. I’m currently under taking the role as rapportuer to a report entitled “Green Paper on forest protection and information in the EU; preparing forests for climate change”. This report aims to stimulate public debate on options for the EU approach to forest protection and management. It will seek to put in place forestry policies that will assist in reaching the EU’s target to achieve 20% renewable energy by 2020 and will identify the main challenges faced by EU forests in a changing climate.
The Joint Committe on Climate Change and Energy Security has also carried out intense work on a proposed Climate Change Bill, National Climate Change Strategy, Carbon Budget and Renewable Energy all of which I intend to use to assist in making Wicklow County Campus a more environmentally friendly campus.

In relation to IT Carlow, the first courses commenced in September, 2006 and the first batch of 20 students were conferred on the 12 th of November, 2009. Courses conferred were Bachelor of Arts in Applied Social Studies (Social Care), Bachelor of Business Studies, Diploma in Law and Higher Diploma in Business in Management. Courses offered by IT Carlow on Wicklow County Campus range from level 6 to level 9. Certificate courses, Diploma course, Higher Certificates , Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Business (honours) and Higher Diploma in Business. Enquires in relation to courses on offer at the campus which are very broad ranging can be made to Wicklow@itcarlow.ie or to LLL@itcarlow.ie

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