The construction of a new graduate medical school building in the University of Limerick will begin this year.
The new building forms part of the Government's €200m building package for the higher education sector.
In a statement, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe said the university was now tendering for a contractor to build the project and construction is expected to be finished by the end of next year.
The new building will accommodate up to 288 graduate students.