Harris Giving Up On Greystones Media Campus?

We coulda been a contender…

atest press release from Wicklow Sinn Féin, issued on Tuesday, December 31st 2024…

Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has said that the decision to grant planning permission to Dublin Fields movie studio in South Dublin represents a significant investment in Ireland’s film industry.

He stated that the approval comes amid glaring government inaction on the stalled Greystones Media Campus in County Wicklow. He warned that without immediate government action, there is a very real danger that this vital project could be permanently abandoned, resulting in the loss of significant opportunities for jobs, innovation, and growth in the region.

“The decision to grant planning permission for Lens Media Ltd.’s Dublin Fields movie studio in South Dublin raises serious questions about the government’s priorities and commitment to balanced regional development. The approved 56-acre site at Grange Castle Business Park will include over 74,000 square metres of floor space across 20 structures, including six sound stage buildings with 11 internal sound stages and ancillary offices. While the project represents a significant investment in Ireland’s film industry, its approval comes amid glaring government inaction on the stalled Greystones Media Campus in County Wicklow—a development that has now been pushed to the margins despite significant taxpayer investment and regional importance.

The €300 million Greystones Media Campus was announced as a transformative project for Wicklow, long considered the heart of Ireland’s film industry. Planned to open in 2024, the campus was set to deliver 450 construction jobs and 1,500 permanent roles on its 44-acre site, establishing Wicklow as a global leader in media production. However, work abruptly stopped in 2022, and the project has since been left in limbo, with no tangible progress or clear direction from the government.

This neglect is particularly alarming given the substantial public investment in the project through the Irish Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF), which allocated €24 million of taxpayer money to the campus. The lack of government action to protect this investment is a betrayal of public trust and an insult to the people of Greystones and Wicklow, who were promised a development that would bring jobs, innovation, and economic growth to the region.

By failing to safeguard this investment, the government is not only wasting public money but also denying the people of Greystones and Wicklow the economic and cultural benefits they were promised. Without immediate action, there is a very real danger that this vital project could be permanently abandoned, resulting in the loss of significant opportunities for jobs, innovation, and growth in the region.

The decision to forge ahead with Dublin Fields while allowing Greystones to stagnate raises broader concerns about accountability and strategic planning in public investment. Taxpayer money should not be funnelled into high-profile projects only to see them shelved without explanation or resolution.

The government must act immediately to move forward with the Greystones Media Campus. Without decisive intervention, this transformative project risks fading into irrelevance, leaving a legacy of wasted taxpayer investment and broken promises.

“The time for action is now, before the opportunity is lost forever.”