Vol. 471 No. 4
179 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, she has to extend the Regional Technical College, Tallaght, Dublin 24, in order to cater for 3,000 full-time students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20917/96]
Under its terms of reference, the steering committee on the future development of higher education was asked to prepare projections of the total potential enrolments in higher education and to make recommendations on the appropriate level of provision. The report envisaged a growth in enrolment for Tallaght regional technical college from its level of 1,411 in 1994-95 to 2,700 by 2000-01 and 3,000 by 2006-07.
The Government has accepted in principle the recommendations of the report of the steering committee as a benchmark for future planning in the higher education sector. The benchmark is to be subject to regular review, the first such review to be carried out in early 1997 on receipt of the report of a study group to be set up to advise on the appropriate level of provision of education and training places for school leavers and others, including the issue of rationalisation of existing provision. Implementation of the recommendations of the steering committee has cost implications which will be subject in the normal way to the agreement of the Minister for Finance or the approval of the Government as appropriate.
My Department has received a proposal from Tallaght regional technical college for an extension of the college comprising lecture theatres, laboratories and staff accommodation, which is estimated to cost £14.5 million. Under the 1994-99 European Regional Development Fund Programme a sum of £3.5 million was allocated for capital developments at the college and this sum remains available to the college for the commencement of construction work on the priority stage, mainly science facilities, of the extension in early 1997.
