Third Level Education

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 December 2020

Tuesday, 15 December 2020

Questions (36)

Matt Shanahan

Question:

36. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that approximately €1.7 billion has been spent in the university sector and that less than 1% has been delivered to the south east, which accounts for 10% of the student population; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the south east has experienced a pronounced decline in that period; if he is satisfied with the current capital allocations process; his plans going forward to manage the process, ensuring it is delivering fair and equitable direct value equally to the regions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43567/20]

Oral answers (6 contributions)

Deputy Matt Shanahan

Approximately €1.7 billion has been spent on the university sector and less than 1% has been delivered to the south east, which accounts for 10% of the student population, in the past 20 years. The south east has suffered a pronounced decline during that period. Is the Minister satisfied that capital allocations are fully fair, transparent and equitable?

Deputy Simon Harris

I thank Deputy Shanahan for his question. I acknowledge that we had a good meeting recently in regard to the south east and are due another one. I have not forgotten that.

It is a priority for my Department to support higher education institutions in their critical role as drivers of social and economic development in their regions. Within this overall context, the creation of technological universities represents a radical reconfiguration of the higher education landscape that will deliver significant benefits for regional development. That is really our entire purpose. It will be achieved through a strong focus on industry linkages, higher education access, and research-informed teaching and learning excellence.

The Deputy has raised concerns specifically in regard to capital investment in the south east, which I would like to address. From 2008 to 2019, some €996 million was provided in capital funding across the higher education sector, of which 4% was allocated to the south-east region. Currently, the two higher education institutions in the region, Waterford Institute of Technology, WIT, and Institute of Technology Carlow, which together have formed the technological university for the south-east consortium, account for 7% of the national higher education student population. I presume the 10% figure to which the Deputy referred relates to primary and secondary level students. It is clear, therefore, that many young people are leaving the south-east region when they go on to higher education, which has knock-on impacts for the region's growth and development. This needs to be addressed, including by means of the greatly enhanced opportunities which technological university status will provide and through the increased capital investment that will be required to support the realisation of those opportunities.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that there are two major Exchequer-funded projects in the pipeline that will significantly enhance higher education infrastructure in the south east and support the development of the new technological university. An engineering, ICT and teaching building is planned for the WIT campus, the largest of all the projects in the entire country under the higher education public private partnership programme, PPP. A science and health building is planned for IT Carlow under the same programme. My Department is also engaging actively with both institutions regarding their future development plans, including expansion within the context of the planned technological university.

Deputy Matt Shanahan

I thank the Minister for his reply. I acknowledge that we have met on this issue and I look forward to doing so again. There has been an almost 40% growth in the university sector over a 20-year period. Much of that was financed by the European Investment Bank, EIB, to the national universities, funding of which the institutes of technology cannot avail. The Minister mentioned capital structures to be built in Waterford. These are PPPs that have been bundled into a later phase in 2021 and will probably not be delivered before 2024 or 2025. I cannot see any fairness in that when other PPPs were expedited to be done before the end of this year. That is the point I am making. I am looking at a lot of allocations and I cannot observe a method or process by which I can see transparency or understanding of how capital is allocated. To be frank, there is a fair degree of political patronage in it.

Deputy Simon Harris

Certainly not from me. I think Deputy Shanahan would be in favour of political patronage if it were to do with the south east, so there is a slight irony in that remark.

My Department is working with both WIT and IT Carlow on a number of projects, including, as I said, the engineering, computing and general teaching building in WIT. It is the largest project in the entire country within the PPP bundle for the higher education sector and it will increase the capacity of the Waterford campus by 1,037 students. However, that is not where my ambition for Waterford stops. I very much recognise that there will be a need to expand the campus footprint within Waterford, and I know the Deputy has an interest in that. As I said, there is also the plan for the science and health building in IT Carlow.

The Deputy makes a fair point in asking why those projects cannot happen more quickly. My understanding is that prospective tenderers for the bundle are currently being shortlisted and construction is expected to begin in 2022. If I have enough time in my final response, I can outline the process that needs to be followed in this regard.

Deputy Matt Shanahan

I remind the Minister once again that WIT is the top-performing institute of technology in the country, with three of the top-performing gateways garnering the most EU research funding within the sector. The Minister will understand our frustration. I assure him that I certainly would welcome his political patronage on this issue, as would all the people of the south east. The most important issue is that, at the end of process he is proposing, we have a university of scale and one fit for purpose. It must rival the institutions in the other regions. To date, as I said, some of the funding allocations appear to have gone to areas that already have national universities. I remind the Minister that we in the south east, including Waterford, do not have such an institution. This is our opportunity to have a fully functioning university of scale. We will then be able to contribute to the national Exchequer at the rate at which we want and deserve to contribute.

Deputy Simon Harris

I am absolutely determined to deliver a technological university for the south east. It is key from an access to education point of view for Waterford and the south-east region. It is also a key driver of regional development and balanced regional development. It will be a game changer for the south east. As the Deputy knows, I have made a number of appointments and decisions in regard to a project board for the technological university for the south east, TUSE. I have met the presidents of WIT and IT Carlow and I commend, on the record of the House, both institutions. I acknowledge and echo the Deputy's sentiments in regard to the excellent work being done in WIT and its excellent record of achievement.

On capital funding for Waterford IT, it was €1 million in 2018, €1.4 million in 2019 and €2.4 million this year. Operational funding was €37.96 million in 2018 and €40.91 million last year. We are continuing to increase investment in Waterford and the south east. Together, we will deliver the technological university and I hope to receive an application in that regard by April of next year.