Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 6 October 2022
319. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his views regarding the termination of the Maynooth University student centre project, which had been planned and which students had been paying an increased student levy for over the past period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49366/22]
View answerMaynooth University recently informed my Department that its’ Governing Authority has taken the difficult decision to terminate the Maynooth University Student Centre contract.
My Department does not have any direct involvement in the project in question, as no direct exchequer funding was being provided by my Department for this project, which was solely being funded by European Investment Bank borrowings serviced by income from a student levy. However, all capital projects advanced by publicly funded Higher Education Institutions must comply with the provisions of the Public Spending Code. I understand following detailed consideration on a number of matters, including the risk associated with continuing with a project that would breach the Public Spending Code, the Governing Authority decided to terminate the contract.
Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day-to-day management and operational affairs including dealing with policy and procedure in relation to any levy payable by students for services or campus facilitates.
The expenditure that has been incurred to date on the project will be met by the University from financial reserves. No financial contribution is being sought from the exchequer and there will be no impact on the student levy collected from the MU student body. Maynooth University are considering the most appropriate means of meeting the need for additional student spaces on campus, in the short and long term, in the overall context of achieving value for money in any future investment.
I met with Student representatives on a range of issues on Thursday 6th October. The Student’s Union from Maynooth University were represented at this meeting and spoke to their concerns about the Student Centre and the Student Levy.
I would strongly encourage the University to continue engagement with the student representative body, on the next steps for this project, and understand that a meeting will take place this week between the President and student representatives.
