Higher Education Institutions Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 October 2013

Tuesday, 8 October 2013

Questions (245)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

245. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide clarification on the future of the Killybegs school of tourism; if his attention has been drawn to the contents of the financial plan provided by LYIT to the Higher Education Authority; if he has considered the options presented under the plan regarding the Killybegs school of tourism; his plans to make moneys available in order to retain the school of tourism in Killybegs; if his attention has been drawn to the impact the removal the school of tourism will have on the community; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42389/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, Tourism College, Killybegs is a school of Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) which is an autonomous statutory body. The management of the College is the responsibility of the Governing Body and the President of LYIT. I am aware that the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is in discussions with LYIT in relation to a financial plan which the Institute has submitted to the HEA and I understand these discussions are on-going. No formal proposals have been made by the HEA to my Department in relation to this matter and I am therefore not in a position to comment on the matter. My Department allocates recurrent funding to the HEA for direct disbursement to the HEA institutions, including LYIT. It is then a matter for the institution to determine how this funding is allocated internally, including funding provided by LYIT to the Tourism College, Killybegs.