Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2021
14. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the application for a technological university for the south-east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35501/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 30 April 2021, I received an application under section 29 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 from the Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology. The application is seeking an order under section 36 of the Act for the applicant institutes to be dissolved and the establishment of a technological university (TU). On 25 May 2021 in accordance with my obligations as Minister under section 31(3) of the Act, I appointed an advisory panel of four persons to assess the application.
This experienced and expert international panel, whom I met late last month as a matter of courtesy, is the same panel that assessed the application for TU designation made by the Athlone and Limerick Institutes of Technology in late 2020. In meeting with the panel my officials also took the opportunity to emphasise the continuing Government and Department support and commitment to the creation and development of TUs in Ireland in line with the 2019 TURN report. I pointed out that Government has allocated significant Exchequer funding for TU progression under the Transformation Fund. This support reflects the priority regional objectives of higher education access, research expansion, skills creation and retention and regional development including for the South-East region.
Department officials understand that the panel commenced its virtual assessment interactions with the applicant institutes on Monday this week 5 July 2021.
I await the furnishing of the panel’s report, the views of the Higher Education Authority on it, and any other information the Authority considers relevant in accordance with the timeframes prescribed under the 2018 Act before making my proposed decision on the application.
