Michael Lowry
Ceist:207 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education the current status of the proposal to establish the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Proposal to Establish Tipperary Institute.
Michael Lowry
Ceist:208 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education the Government's view on the contribution the Tipperary Institute will make to developing rural Ireland; and the action, if any, she is taking to ensure these proposals are implemented.
Michael Lowry
Ceist:209 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education whether the proposal to establish the Tipperary Institute will, because of its integrative approach to development, attract capital funding from Departments other than her Department; and, if so, the mechanism used to do so.
Michael Lowry
Ceist:210 Mr. Lowry asked the Minister for Education when a decision will be arrived at in relation to the proposal to establish the Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute; the effect, if any, the revised figure for the EU contribution to structural funding will have on the proposal to establish this institute; the way in which she intends to allocate the £9.5 million earmarked for facilities, upgrading, special projects and technical assistance mentioned in her statement of 13 January 1994; the effect, if any, the reduced EU contribution to the structural funding will have on this figure; and if the institute will be funded from the £9.5 million mentioned in the statement of 13 January 1994.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 207 to 210, inclusive, together.
The proposal to establish a Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute has to be considered in the context of the future development of the higher education sector in Ireland.
I have asked a steering committee, established under the aegis of the Higher Education Authority, to advise me on this. The steering committee will prepare projections to the year 2015 of the total potential enrolments in higher education and the corresponding needs required by the sector to facilitate these enrolments.
The committee will carry out a comprehensive needs analysis of higher education requirements. Its remit includes the overall needs of society and the economy as well as regional, socio-economic and equality considerations together with the needs of students and the world of work. It will also focus on the appropriate provision for mature students as well as the need to provide access to third level education for disadvantaged students.
As previously indicated to me in the Dáil, the work of the committee will have to be informed by, and take account of, budgetary and financial considerations. In this context the distribution of the £9.5 million included in the European Regional Development Fund programme will have regard inter alia to the recommendations of the steering committee on the future development of higher education. The provision for special projects remains as outlined in my statement of 13 January.
The possibility of funding from other Government Departments will also be dependent on decisions to be taken in relation to the future development of higher education. The steering committee is due to complete its deliberations in December and submit its recommendations to me. When I receive their recommendations I will give them my urgent attention.