The development agency behind a new Dublin Institute of Technology campus in Grangegorman in the city has said it can go ahead despite Government cutbacks.
The Grangegorman Development Agency insisted it will proceed with its own private funding and plans to have 10,000 students - about half of all DIT's total - on the site by 2017.
The statement came as An Bord Pleanála began a hearing into the plan for a new campus, which will cost nearly €500m.
The plan to move the 39 different DIT colleges situated around Dublin into one campus has been in the pipeline for nearly ten years.
But earlier this month the Government, which was to contribute 20% of the costs, said it had no funds for the project at present.
Today's hearing is dealing with the plan for the redevelopment of one third of the 75 acres of grounds at St Brendan's psychiatric hospital.
It will involve the third-level facility, healthcare facilities and a primary school and include three buildings between 12 and 15 stories high.
Local residents are objecting to the height and density of the development and say that the plans are too vague.
If Dublin City Council's planning permission is confirmed by the board, there cannot be any future appeals against individual building design if they comply with the outline plan.
An Taisce is also concerned about the effect on protected buildings and says not enough study has been carried on the site's historical importance.
The hearing is expected to conclude next week.
