Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 5 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 3

Written Answers. - Dublin College of Technology.

Liz McManus

Question:

12 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the gross underfunding of the College of Technology in Kevin Street, Dublin 8 that the student/teacher ratio is of serious concern as is the lack of administrative and technical staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The College of Technology Kevin Street is part of the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT). The funding of the college is a matter for the institute and a budget is allocated by my Department for the institute as a whole.

A budget in respect of the Dublin Institute of Technology has been approved in respect of 1993. My Department has had recent discussions with the Dublin Institute of Technology regarding this budget. The institute has indicated that it will have expenditure needs in excess of the budget provision. My Department is examining the position within the parameters of the overall financial situation. I would not accept that there is gross underfunding and the institute has not put such a case to my Department.

The question of the staffing of the Dublin Institute of Technology is also a matter for the institute subject to the agreed budgets and overall staffing levels. The adequacy of the level of academic staffing in an Institute of Higher Education such as the Dublin Institute of Technology cannot be properly assessed on the basis of a simple teacher student ratio. However an analysis of returns by the Dublin Institute of Technology to my Department with regard to teaching hours employed per annum per student in Kevin Street would not suggest that there is ground for concern.

A report on the staffing structure of the Dublin Institute of Technology was recently commissioned from the IPA. This report recommends a significant strengthening of the administrative structure of the institute. This report is currently being examined by the Dublin Institute of Technology and by my Department and it is hoped that additional administrative staff may be agreed in the near future.