Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 July 2023
868. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to list the technological universities which have a foundation to raise philanthropic donations for the university. [33745/23]
View answer869. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline for technological universities with a foundation, how much money from the technological university funds has been spent on covering salary costs, operating costs, training or other costs of the associated TU Foundation for each of the past five years. [33746/23]
View answer870. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason separate technological university foundations exist, given that technological universities are themselves registered charities. [33747/23]
View answer871. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if any donations or portions thereof received by technological university foundations were returned to donors for any reason over the past five years; in cases where donations were returned, how much money was returned; the reason the money was returned; and who the donor was. [33748/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 868, 869, 870 and 871 together.
Two of the Technological Universities have foundations to raise philanthropic donations for their university; the Munster Technological University (MTU) and the Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin).
The Atlantic Technological University (ATU), the Technological University Shannon (TUS), and the South East Technological University (SETU) have confirmed to my department that they do not have foundations to raise philanthropic donations for their university.
TU Dublin has the TU Dublin Foundation and the accounts of the foundation are included in the TU Dublin financial statements.
MTU has two wholly owned subsidiary foundation companies, one that came from Carlow Institute of Technology and the other from the Institute of Technology Tralee.
The accounts for each company relevant to MTU are fully consolidated into the MTU financial statements, and independently audited each year.
The reason for the separate technological university foundations is to provide a strategic vehicle to attract ring-fenced funding for philanthropic causes related to the University’s activities in areas such as capital development; student bursaries and scholarships; equality, equity, diversity and inclusion; research and innovation; and student entrepreneurship.
I wish to advise the Deputy that not all of the information he has requested in relation to technological university foundations is readily available in my Department.
Officials are currently arranging for the compilation of the further information sought from both the MTU and the TU Dublin and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
