Mary Butler
Ceist:554. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the technological university for the south-east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34068/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 24 July 2018
Ceisteanna (554)
Freagraí scríofa
It is a matter for the relevant Institutes of Technology in a consortium to lead on the progression of their plans to seek designation as a technological university. The four such consortia are at different stages of development, dependent on their particular circumstances. For example, the first application for TU designation under the Technological Universities Act 2018 from the Dublin Technological University Alliance, comprising Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown and Institute of Technology Tallaght, was granted by the Minister for Education and Skills on 17 July 2018. A draft Ministerial order appointing the day of establishment of the new TU will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas for approval in the forthcoming legislative term.
In relation to the Technological University for the South East (TUSE) consortium of the Waterford Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Carlow, the Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D., has met with the Presidents and Chairs of both IoTs on a number of occasions this year with a view to encouraging the progression of the TUSE development project. It is understood that the consortium is progressing its work with a view to submitting an application for TU designation by the end of 2018 and it has stated this publicly. In this context it is further understood that an external chairperson has recently been appointed to the project steering group and that this group met most recently on 19 July 2018.
The TUSE consortium has received some €720,000 in Exchequer funding to date to advance their project. Recommendations from the HEA in relation to the latest 2018 call for funding submissions in respect of €10m in Exchequer funding available for TU consortia projects are currently being reviewed by my Department, including in relation to the TUSE submission, with a view to announcements being made on final allocations as soon as possible. Allocations will be predicated not least on the demonstration of the material progression of projects to date. In this context Minister Mitchell O’Connor announced the first component of the funding on 17 July 2018, with an allocation of €4.4 million being made towards the continuing development of the Technological University Dublin.