South Dublin County is undergoing transformative growth, driven by a record-breaking €1.74 billion capital programme (2025–2027), which is supporting the accommodation of an additional 80,000 people and 32,000 new homes by 2040. This investment and level of growth reflects South Dublin County Council’s (SDCC) unwavering commitment to delivering sustainable projects that will serve its communities for generations to come.
At the heart of this transformation is Tallaght, a town benefiting from a convergence of public and private investment. The Tallaght Town Centre Local Area Plan (2020–2026) outlines a 20-year vision for regeneration and growth, targeting 15,000 new jobs and 11,000 additional homes. Several developments are already underway to realise this ambition, with the Council currently investing €80m to support the strategy’s implementation.
Tallaght is emerging as a hub for innovation, learning, and enterprise. Tallaght University Hospital – one of Ireland’s largest acute training hospitals – has just recently received planning approval for a cutting-edge Innovation Centre of Excellence in Brain Health and Dementia. Tallaght Technological University Dublin is home to Synergy, an incubator hub and research centre supporting local start-ups and students alike.
More recently, Work IQ has arrived in Tallaght; a newly opened innovation hub supporting tech-driven startups which was developed by SDCC and is operated by Oxford Innovation Space. The hub opened in July 2024, delivering a €16 million project spanning 3,000 sqm across four storeys with diverse office typology and co-working space. It is expected to generate 700 jobs and €80 million in economic output. More than a workspace, Work IQ provides tailored business development support, mentoring, and networking, fostering a vibrant tech ecosystem.
Startups located here are already breaking ground and developing AI tools, contributing to technologies used aboard the International Space Station, and driving digital transformation in healthcare, sport, and finance. Co-located within Work IQ is the Local Enterprise Office, offering funding and supports for early-stage entrepreneurs. Some of the entrepreneurs have raised significant rounds of pre-seed funding and these numbers are expected to grow, demonstrating growing investor confidence in the talent and ideas emerging from this space.
Backed by strong collaboration between central and local government, and powered by a dynamic tech and SME sector, SDCC is leading Ireland into its next chapter of inclusive, sustainable, and people-first growth.
Developing and supporting innovation in Tallaght begins even earlier. At the town centre’s core is Think Big Space, a digital learning centre launched in 2022 through a partnership between SDCC and Amazon Web Services (AWS). Designed to inspire the next generation of creators, the facility has hosted over 12,000 students for hands-on STEAM workshops thus helping young people discover how technology can empower them to shape the world around them. This early engagement is central to SDCC’s vision: nurturing a pipeline of talent from classroom to boardroom.
As Tallaght grows, so too does the need for housing. SDCC has responded with a €57 million investment in 133 cost-rental homes; Ireland’s largest such project led by a local authority located right in Tallaght’s Innovation Quarter. This model offers long-term, secure tenancies at cost price, enabling people to live affordably and sustainably close to work, education, and amenities.
Complementing this development is the Tallaght District Heating Scheme, Ireland’s first large-scale network of its kind. It uses waste heat from a nearby AWS data centre to provide clean energy to local homes and buildings, cutting emissions by 1,500 tonnes annually. This pioneering system, which won the 2024 Energy Globe Award for Ireland, underscores South Dublin’s leadership in low-carbon living.
Culture and community life are also central to Tallaght’s evolution. With a population of over 80,000, the town is one of Ireland’s most culturally diverse urban centres. SDCC has responded with thoughtful investment in shared spaces and civic infrastructure. An €8 million investment was recently injected into a new public realm and cultural quarter known as Parthalan Place. €13.5 million has been invested into the expansion of Tallaght Stadium, adding a new North Stand, increasing its seated capacity to over 10,500, with the stadium’s capacity for large scale events now reaching 22,000. More than a sporting venue, the stadium is a pillar of local pride – home to Shamrock Rovers FC, the FAI Women’s National Team, and host to Leinster Rugby, GAA, and even American Football.
Looking to the future, SDCC is preparing to launch its Evening Time Economy Strategy, designed to ensure the town remains vibrant between 5pm and 9pm. In July of 2025, The Priory Market opened in Tallaght, the first indoor artisan food market in Dublin and SDCC will look to build upon and complement this evening trade offering.
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All of these elements combined – including affordable housing, green infrastructure, cultural vitality, and economic opportunity – make Tallaght a place where people and businesses can thrive. It is a community where innovation is grounded in real-world impact and where the future is being built with intention, inclusion, and imagination. As SDCC seeks to provide for an additional 36,678 jobs up to 2040, the economic development of the County is thriving, as evidenced by the growth in Tallaght. Backed by strong collaboration between central and local government, and powered by a dynamic tech and SME sector, SDCC is leading Ireland into its next chapter of inclusive, sustainable, and people-first growth.
Commercial Development Officer, South Dublin County Council
