Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 9 November 2004
343 Mr. Healy asked the Minister for Education and Science when she intends to approve the relocation of the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute from the Frank Drohan Road Clonmel to the Watson Estate, Ballingarrane, Clonmel to enable the creation of an education and technology park at Ballingarrane. [27958/04]
View answerThe report of the capital review and prioritisation working group established under the Higher Education Authority was published recently. It sets out a strategy to meet the future capital needs of the third level sector. Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute included the proposal to develop a permanent campus in the planned Clonmel technology park at the Ballingarrane estate in its submission to the review group. The group's report stated that the institute's proposal for the disposal of an existing property in Clonmel and acquisition of an alternative one had merit on the basis that no Exchequer funding was required. The submission by the institute to the review group also included several capital proposals on other campus developments in both Clonmel and Thurles. However, the review group recommended that the policy framework for the institute should be re-examined before the other proposed investment proposals could be considered. My Department understands the institute is considering its capital development proposals in this context.
Officials of my Department met with the institute earlier this year to discuss the capital proposal referred to by the Deputy and it is likely that a further meeting will take place shortly.
