Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 20 May 2021
140. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if colleges of further and higher education in Northern Ireland can be considered as partners in the development of technological universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26958/21]
View answerUnder the statutory framework provided in the Technological Universities Act 2018, two or more Institutes of Technology may jointly seek technological university (TU) designation through a prescribed legislative process. Section 29 of the 2018 Act provides for the application jointly by two or more applicant institutes to the Minister of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science for an order seeking designation as a TU subject to their jointly meeting specified eligibility criteria. Section 38 of the 2018 Act provides that an applicant institute and an established technological university may apply to the Minister for an order. The relevant legislative provisions do not apply to higher education institutions outside the state’s jurisdiction.
However, I am focused on examining opportunities for closer North-South collaboration in the Further Education and Higher Education areas including in the North West and North East where such opportunities arise particularly post-Brexit and as we seek to deal with and emerge from the Covid 19 pandemic.
In this context I am determined that, notwithstanding Brexit, cross-border collaboration should not only be maintained but enhanced. Both Letterkenny IT and Dundalk IT, which are, respectively, part of a TU development consortium and embarking on a trajectory to seek TU designation with the assistance of the Higher Education Authority, have close links with further education colleges and higher education institutions across the border and these Institutes received Exchequer funding under the Higher Education Landscape Fund in 2018 and 2019 to develop and deepen such cross border alliances.
