Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
119. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the most up-to-date information on the Connacht Ulster Alliance technological university application. [26953/21]
View answer120. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the Ulster Connacht Alliance application for technological university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26991/21]
View answer125. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the Connacht-Ulster Alliance and it's proposed application for technological university status for the west and north-west; if his Department had discussions regarding the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26939/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 119, 120 and 125 together.
The establishment of technological universities is an important part of the Government’s higher education and regional development policy as underscored in the Programme for Government 2020.
Under the statutory framework detailed in the Technological Universities Act 2018, it is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant Institutes of Technology participating in a TU development consortium to progress their plans and, when ready, to make an application to the Minister seeking an order establishing a TU subject to their meeting the eligibility criteria prescribed in the 2018 Act.
The Connacht Ulster Alliance consortium, comprising the Galway-Mayo, Sligo and Letterkenny Institutes of Technology is preparing proposals to seek technological university designation through the prescribed legislative process under the Technological Universities Act 2018.
While a joint application under Section 29 of the Act has not yet been received to date, my Department understands that significant progress has been made in relation to its finalisation, including intensive discussions with the staff of the respective Institutes. An application is understood to be readied for approval by the Institutes’ governing bodies for submission under the legislative requirements shortly thereafter. Ultimately, however, the finalisation and submission of an application remains a matter for the Institutes themselves.
To date, the consortium has received a total of €11.6 million in Exchequer funding to advance its proposals, of which €5.9 million was allocated under the first tranche of the Transformation Fund in October 2020.
Ultimately, while the finalisation and submission of an application remains a matter for the Institutes themselves, Department officials remain in close contact with the consortium at the appropriate levels in relation to the progression of their proposals.
