Technological Universities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 February 2024

Thursday, 8 February 2024

Questions (347)

Matt Shanahan

Question:

347. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 200 of 31 January 2024, and the technological sector advancement fund referenced therein which is purported to provide €50 million to continue to assist new technological universities in their post-establishment phase; the amount of disbursed monies from this fund; the precise total funds amount approved to each TU to date, in tabular form; will the Minister comment as to where exceptionalism is being demonstrated by him and his Department in terms of this funding disbursement to recognise the unique deficit the southeast region suffers given that it has no National University institution to support third level delivery unlike the other regions of the country; his plans to further enforce exceptional funding to the southeast region because of this known deficit and regional imbalance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5942/24]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

As requested, tabular data on the monies dispersed under the Technological Sector Advancement Fund is laid out below:

Technological University TSAF Allocations and Year 1 Payments
Institution	TSAF Allocation	TSAF Year 1 Payments
ATU	€8,500,000	€5,528,390
MTU	€7,500,000	€4,802,250
SETU	€9,500,000	€6,083,800
TU Dublin	€9,500,000	€6,083,800
TUS	€7,000,000	€4,482,800
DkIT	€3,200,000	€2,048,960
Total Allocated	€45,200,000	€29,030,000
Balance to be allocated	€4,800,000

As may be seen from the table, €9,500,000 has been ring-fenced for South East Technological University, of which over €6 million has already been paid out- an equivalent investment to that in Technological University Dublin, and ahead of other technological universities.

The Government has delivered a university presence to the South East spanning four campus locations for the first time in the history of the State. The South East Technological University (SETU) established on 1 May 2022 is the third largest technological university and enables students in the South East to study and gain qualifications at all levels of the NFQ, up to and including doctoral degrees, in their own region. SETU is also a catalyst for regional development and socio-economic progress in the South East.

The Department also remains committed to providing capital funding supports to SETU. For example, the new Engineering, Computing and General Teaching building which is planned for SETU Waterford Campus is progressing as part of bundle II of the 'Higher Education PPP Programme'. This building will add significant capacity to the campus to help address increased demand. SETU Waterford Campus expansion and SETU Wexford Campus are both being progressed under the TSSPF framework.