Written Answers Nos. 418-440
418. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the basis on which TU Dublin paid two separate individuals a salary at the president’s grade in 2019, 2020, 2021 and to date in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45485/22]
View answerSanction was provided for the salary to be applied in the case of any individual occupying the role of President of TU Dublin at a salary level equivalent to that previously applied to the President of the predecessor Dublin Institute of Technology. Under the terms of the TU Act 2018, a person who was the president of a dissolved predecessor institute of technology is entitled to become a fixed-term employee of the relevant newly-established TU for the duration of his or her contract of employment on terms and conditions relating to remuneration no less favourable than those to which the person was subject immediately before the establishment of the relevant TU.
419. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the job title and job description for each person in receipt of a director’s grade salary in TU Dublin on 1 January 2021. [45486/22]
View answer420. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the job title and job description for each person in receipt of a director’s grade salary in TU Dublin on 1 October 2021. [45487/22]
View answer421. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the job title and job description for each person in receipt of a director’s grade salary in TU Dublin on 1 January 2022. [45488/22]
View answer422. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the job title and job description for each person in receipt of a director’s grade salary in TU Dublin on 1 April 2022. [45489/22]
View answer424. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the job title and job description for each person in receipt of a secretary financial controller level one grade salary in TU Dublin on 1 April 2022. [45491/22]
View answer425. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the job title and job description for each person in receipt of an SLIII grade salary in TU Dublin on 1 April 2022. [45492/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 419, 420, 421, 422, 424 and 425 together.
The specific detail as to which persons are in receipt of which salary at a point in time would be a matter for TU Dublin and is not data which is held by my Department. The email address president@tudublin.ie would be the most appropriate contact details for TU Dublin, should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with his query.
423. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the approval, if any, that was given to TU Dublin to make appointments at director-level since its establishment in January 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45490/22]
View answerSanction was provided in July 2021 for the appointment of a number of senior posts at Director and Dean level in TU Dublin to form part of the TU Dublin University Executive Team. This sanction was subject to certain conditions as approved by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
426. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount of money that TU Dublin is projecting to spend on organisational design consultants for the full calendar year 2022. [45494/22]
View answer427. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the amount of money that the TU Dublin governing body approved to spend on organisational design consultants when it approved the procurement of these services and appointment of consultants. [45495/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 427 together.
Technological universities (TUs) are autonomous higher education institutions as provided for under the Technological Universities Act 2018. Section 11 of the 2018 Act provides that a TU shall have a governing body to perform the functions of the university under the Act. In this context neither I nor my Department has a role in relation to the allocation or expenditure of a TU’s budget and as such I have no knowledge of expenditure, real or proposed, of the type referred to by the Deputy.
428. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress, if any, that has been made in ensuring that staff in TU Dublin Tallaght have the same academic allowances as TU Dublin staff in Blanchardstown and City Campus. [45497/22]
View answerEmployees in Higher Education Institutions have a number of industrial relation mechanisms available to them and queries on employment matters are addressed first and foremost at a local level, either where an employee may raise a query directly with their employer or by having a query raised on their behalf by their union representatives. In the event that a satisfactory outcome is not achieved at local level, there are structures available to facilitate national engagement between unions, management and the Department, where a matter is escalated beyond the local level. The issue raised by the Deputy is a local matter which has not been escalated to the national level, and as such, the detail of the claim would not be a matter for my Department.
429. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the work and timeline of the development of a borrowing framework by his Department for the technological sector since the 2019 TURN report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45501/22]
View answerBoth my Department and I are of the view that enabling appropriate access to finance is one of the significant requirements for the delivery by higher education institutions of purpose built student accommodation (PBSA) and my officials continue to engage with counterparts in relevant Government Departments and other relevant stakeholders including HEIs to explore potential options and approaches on the delivery of PBSA. In this context it is now anticipated that any borrowing framework for TUs would in the first instance prioritise the provision of PBSA in line with commitments in the Government's Housing for All plan.
In December 2021 the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage confirmed that his Department had reviewed the Housing Finance Agency Act 1981 (as amended) and was satisfied that the legislation in place was robust enough to allow the Housing Finance Agency (HFA) to also lend, in addition to universities designated under the Universities Act 1997, to TUs, Institutes of Technology and other institutions encompassed by the definition of “Institutes of Higher Education” in the Higher Education Authority Act 1971 where such borrowing is in respect of the provision of housing accommodation for students.
This provision is being further strengthened under Section 130 of the Higher Education Authority Bill (as amended) currently advancing through the legislative process in the Houses of the Oireachtas by copper-fastening and broadening the type of institution to which the HFA can lend to with relevant consents including other education institutions not designated under the remit of the HEA but who are in receipt of core funding through the public system.
Institutions, other than traditional universities, would firstly require my consent to borrow following consultation with the Higher Education Authority. This will necessitate the establishment of an appropriate framework setting out the criteria, financial and non-financial, including governance, oversight and reporting to define the operational process through which such consent would be sought and obtained. Having passed those primary screening tests the prospective borrowing entity would then be required to pass the relevant tests, procedures and requirements of the HFA before accessing borrowing funds.
My Department is ready to work with any or all of the five TUs to support them to borrow to build PBSA. The impacts, risks and responsibilities arising from such borrowing are key considerations in this context. In addition to accessing borrowing on commercially viable and appropriate terms such as would not adversely impact the financial position of TUs themselves or the wider public finances, as stated requisite oversight, risk evaluation, project management and attendant governance and regulatory processes would also need to be established.
I am confident that there will, as appropriate, be robust and adequate systems in place to ensure any proposed borrowing is rigorously examined to protect both Exchequer funding and HEIs themselves.
430. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a detailed schedule for each housing finance agency loan to Higher Education Authority-funded higher education institutions including the name of the project, institution, value, date of approval, and the number of bedrooms. [45502/22]
View answer431. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a detailed schedule for each Ireland strategic investment fund-loan to Higher Education Authority-funded higher education institutions including the name of the project, institution, value, and date of approval. [45503/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 431 together.
Irish Universities have autonomy to borrow in their own name within a framework to be agreed with the HEA, the Dept of Finance and Dept of Public Expenditure and Reform. Section 38 of the Universities Act, 1997 states that:
( 1) A university may borrow money by means of bank overdraft or otherwise and may guarantee or underwrite a loan taken or borrowing undertaken by a person or a body of persons.
(2) Borrowing, guaranteeing and underwriting under subsection (1) shall be in accordance with a framework which shall be agreed from time to time between the universities and An tÚdarás, following consultation by An tÚdarás with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and the Minister for Finance.
The intent of the framework is as follows:
- That a university can engage in borrowing, underwriting and guaranteeing activities provided that they impose no threat to, and do not create any contingent liabilities for, the public purse.
- To ensure that the capacity of a university to function effectively is not endangered.
- That advanced approval by An tÚdarás or the ministers, of individual instances of borrowing, underwriting or guaranteeing by a university would not be required.
University borrowing arising from fully self-financed or tax financed projects approved under the Finance Acts, are not subject to the borrowing limit established under this framework and may take place provided the servicing of those borrowings has no impact on the annual income of the University.
The HEA provided the below information, based on details available to the authority, in relation to University borrowing:
Total University borrowings at 30 September 2021 were €941,931,474 (The original value of these loans amounted to €1,034m) and included loans of €105,014,995 from the Housing Finance Agency and €20,860,478 from the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund.
There is no State guarantee or underwriting provided for these loans. Please find attached additional details of these loans by institution and lender (including Housing Finance Agency and Ireland Strategic Investment Fund). While universities are required to submit details of their Framework and non-Framework borrowings to the HEA on an annual basis, the HEA does not have details regarding name of the project, date of approval or number of bedrooms associated with any development.
|
- |
UCD |
UCC |
NUIG |
MU |
TCD |
UL |
DCU |
Total |
|
European Investment Bank |
€48,521,746 |
€97,722,613 |
€57,400,000 |
€65,648,179 |
€185,701,525 |
€83,823,530 |
€74,258,182 |
€613,075,775 |
|
Housing Finance Agency |
€86,839,292 |
€18,175,703 |
€105,014,995 |
|||||
|
Ireland Strategic Investment Fund |
€20,860,478 |
€20,860,478 |
||||||
|
Other |
€69,000 |
€58,176,297 |
€140,140,530 |
€4,594,399 |
€202,980,226 |
|||
|
Total Borrowings as at 30-09-2021 |
€135,430,038 |
€174,074,613 |
€57,400,000 |
€65,648,179 |
€325,842,055 |
€88,417,929 |
€95,118,660 |
€941,931,474 |
432. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the arrangements with respect to the €5 million in emergency funding provided to IT Tralee in 2019/2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45504/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware an emergency once off and repayable funding allocation of €5m was provided to the Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) by the HEA and Department in 2019.
Serious cash-flow difficulties emerged in the Institute and it was identified in 2018 that the Institute would need additional funding and a series of cost saving measures to ensure its sustainable future. The once off and repayable funding was provided in 2019 to ensure immediate stability of the college and predicated on the completion of the financial sustainability plan for the college. The provision of emergency funding was essential to maintain current services at the Institute.
In April 2020 the HEA approved the Institute’s sustainability plan prepared with the assistance of Deloitte consultants and submitted it to the Department for consideration and progression. The plan includes actions to reduce the cost base and increase income including from additional apprenticeship blocks, increasing student numbers and lifelong learning course uptake.
The Institute merged with Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) to form Munster Technological University (MTU) from 1st January 2021.
The Government is committed to the continued provision of higher education in Tralee. In that context there is no question that the actions to secure a resolution to IT Tralee’s/MTU Kerry’s financial difficulties would be expected to give rise to creation of a potential burden which would undermine the financial stability and sustainability of MTU.
Given the position and development of MTU this funding has not been scheduled for repayment to date, however this is under regular review by the HEA and my Department.
433. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a breakdown of the proposal and closing date, institution and value with respect to each land acquisition undertaken by the Higher Education Authority-funded higher education institutions between 2011 and 2021. [45505/22]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, higher education institutions are autonomous bodies with their own management structures and, as such, are responsible for decisions in relation to site acquisitions and other capital matters where these are not being funded by the State.
All capital projects advanced by publicly funded Higher Education Institutions must comply with the provisions of the Public Spending Code.
Please find attached table with details of the site/property acquisitions which were allocated Department funding. In some cases, the material supplied dates back to 2010 as the drawdown of the funding for the acquisition spanned multiple years including one year prior to the period requested by the Deputy.
|
- |
|||||||||||||||
|
Higher Education Institution |
ALLOCATION |
PAID 2010 |
PAID 2011 |
PAID 2012 |
PAID 2013 |
PAID 2014 |
PAID 2015 |
PAID 2016 |
PAID 2017 |
PAID 2018 |
PAID 2019 |
PAID 2020 |
PAID 2021 |
PAID 2022 |
Paid to date |
|
University of Galway Land Purchase - 4 Properites |
€2,350,000.00 |
€2,164,662.00 |
€156,157.00 |
€29,181.00 |
€ 2,350,000.00 |
||||||||||
|
University of Galway -Land Purchase - Storage Facilities |
€1,678,900.00 |
€1,630,000.00 |
€48,900.00 |
€ 1,678,900.00 |
|||||||||||
|
Atlantic TU - Letterkenny Campus - Acquisition |
€8,310,708.84 |
€8,287,529.34 |
€23,179.50 |
€ 8,310,708.84 |
|||||||||||
|
Dublin City University - Purchase of All Hallows College Campus |
€14,500,000.00 |
€145,000.00 |
€ 145,000.00 |
||||||||||||
|
Maynooth University Land Purchase |
€2,000,000.00 |
€2,000,000.00 |
€ 2,000,000.00 |
||||||||||||
|
Institute of Technology Tallaght - Purchase of Premier House |
€1,400,000.00 |
€1,400,000.00 |
€ 1,400,000.00 |
||||||||||||
|
Limerick Institute of Technology - Coonagh Land Acquisition |
€3,500,000.00 |
€3,500,000.00 |
€ 3,500,000.00 |
||||||||||||
|
Atlantic TU- Galway Campus - Crowley Park |
€6,450,000.00 |
€6,450,000.00 |
€ 6,450,000.00 |
434. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a detailed explanation of the process and milestones, including a schedule of Department circulars or regulations, with respect to open-market opportunity land acquisitions by Higher Education Authority-funded higher education institutions. [45506/22]
View answerRequirements relating to land acquisitions by publicly-funded higher education institutions are set out both in legislation and in relevant codes.
Relevant legislation includes:
- Universities Act, 1997
- Technological Universities Act, 2018
- Institutes of Technology Act, 2006
The general requirements which must be followed by State bodies in relation to property acquisitions are set out in the following key documents:
- Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER) Circular 17/2016: Policy for Property Acquisition and for Disposal of Surplus Property
- Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016
- Public Spending Code 2019
Core requirements include, inter alia, the development of a business case and an independent valuation of the property to be acquired.
The individual governance codes adopted by higher education institutions draw on the Code of Practice for State Bodies.
In the case of Technological Universities, the consent of both the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform is currently required under legislation for land acquisitions.
Some changes are proposed to relevant legislation as part of the HEA Bill to streamline processes and to ensure alignment of arrangements in legislation for Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology.
436. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his Department’s governance, assurance and oversight activities of Carlow College, St. Patrick's CHY number 10584. [45508/22]
View answerCarlow College is private college with charitable status under the regulation of the Charities Regulator. My Department and I have no statutory function in relation to Carlow College.
The only recurrent funding provided to Carlow College by my Department is in respect of the grant in lieu of tuition fee funding for approved courses which is provided in respect of students who are eligible for funding under the Free Fees Initiative. Funding is provided in line with the eligibility criteria as set out in the Free Fees Initiative.
437. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of the dates of each of the project milestones with respect to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon since the project's inception. [45509/22]
View answer438. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of formal correspondence between the Department, the Higher Education Authority and Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon with respect to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by LIT/TUS since the project's inception. [45510/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 437 and 438 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, in accordance with the Public Spending Code, the Project Lifecycle refers to the series of steps and activities which are necessary to take the proposal from concept to completion and evaluation.
The Coonagh Campus project was split into two components; the ‘Enabling / Shell & Core’ works and the 'Fit out ' works. I have set out the main stages and dates in the table below in respect of each of these components.
|
Project Element |
Tender Commencement |
Construction Commencement |
Construction Completion |
Project Review & Reporting Period |
|
Enabling Shell & Core |
July 2017 |
July 2018 |
February 2020 |
February 2023 |
|
Fit Out |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
TBC |
The table attached sets out the key communications and milestones relating to the project at TUS-Coonagh Campus, from the decision to acquire the site up to the current Fit Out phase of the project. It is important to note that since the inception of the TUS-Coonagh Project and between the milestone dates referenced in the table there was extensive engagement between the Institute, HEA DFHERIS, resolution of queries in relation to procurement, tendering, etc. However given the volume of these and the timeframe required to respond my Department have focused on the key milestones of the project.
|
Documents/Key Milestones |
Date |
|
Approval of site purchase at cost of €3.5m |
Nov 2015 |
|
Economic Impact of LIT Campus Report |
June 2016 |
|
ABP grant planning |
July 2017 |
|
Procurement process commenced for the ‘Enabling / Shell & Core Contract’ |
July 2017 |
|
DES Approval for development project |
June 2018 |
|
Contract awarded for ‘Enabling Shell and Core contract’ by LIT and commenced onsite |
July 2018 |
|
The Enabling Shell and Core contract’contract reached substantial completion |
February 2020 |
|
HEA Options and Recommendations Report submitted to DFHERIS for fit-out phase |
Dec 2020 |
|
DFHERIS approval for Fit-out commencement |
May 2022 |
439. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of the funding made available to the Coonagh Campus development undertaken by Limerick Institute of Technology / Technological University of the Shannon since the project's inception to include a breakdown by date, value and purpose of all current and capital exchequer funding. [45511/22]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out below.
|
Payment Date |
Amount |
Detail |
|
2017 |
€3,500,000.00 |
Site Acquisition |
|
2019 |
€5,364,014.24 |
Enabling Shell & Core Works & Design Team Fees |
|
2020 |
€288,725.85 |
Enabling Shell & Core Works & Design Team Fees |
440. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of the dates of each of the project milestones with respect to the acquisition of Crowley Park by Galway Mayo Institute of Technology / Atlantic Technological University since the project’s inception. [45512/22]
View answer441. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of formal correspondence between the Department, the Higher Education Authority and Galway Mayo Institute of Technology / Atlantic Technological University with respect to the Crowley Park development undertaken by GMIT/ATU since the project's inception. [45513/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 440 and 441 together.
GMIT’s interest in the acquisition of Crowley Park, and its engagement with the Higher Education Authority (HEA), the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and previously the Department of Education and Skills, extended back many years prior to its eventual acquisition of the property in December 2021.
Approval was provided to acquire the site in 2018; however, the GMIT bid at that time was ultimately not successful.
The table beneath sets out key communications and milestones relating to the successful acquisition which was eventually finalised in December 2021. It is important to note that between the milestone dates referenced in the table there was extensive background work and engagement between the parties, including engagements between GMIT and the vendor, updating of valuations, resolution of queries etc. The COVID-19 pandemic and steps to be followed on the side of the vendor also had an impact on overall timelines.
|
Document/Milestone |
Date |
|
Business case submitted by GMIT to HEA |
May 2019 |
|
HEA recommendation to Department of Education and Skills |
July 2019 |
|
Queries issue to HEA from Department of Education and Skills |
July 2019 |
|
Further communication and supporting documents from GMIT to HEA |
July 2020 |
|
Further supporting documents from GMIT to HEA |
November 2020 |
|
Communication between HEA and DFHERIS on proposal |
November 2020 |
|
New business case submitted by GMIT |
February 2021 |
|
GMIT reply to outstanding queries |
February 2021 |
|
Approval by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science |
February 2021 |
|
Feedback from Department of Public Expenditure and Reform |
March 2021 |
|
Approval letter issued to HEA |
March 2021 |
|
Acquisition concluded by GMIT |
December 2021 |
