South east technological university
Deputy Shanahan says the Government has lacked a real plan for a technological university in the south east and argues WIT should not be sidelined. The Chair ends his questions for time, and the Tánaiste says the project is progressing and would benefit the wider region.
Since 2011, three programmes for Government have pushed a technological university on the south east. I use the word "pushed" deliberately. Where is the Government's plan? IT Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology, WIT, have fundamentally different visions for education. IT Carlow is oriented around the greater Dublin area. It is positioned around the strong Dublin universities. WIT has filled the need for a university in the south east. It is the top institute of technology nationally, having been awarded institute of technology of the year for the third time in ten years. The headquarters is to be fudged. There is to be distributed leadership, whatever that is supposed to mean. Massive amounts of capital have flowed into the sector. The small fraction that went into the south east went entirely to Carlow. In fact, of the €1.7 billion of capital investment undertaken in the sector in the past decade, zero has been invested in new teaching buildings in WIT. The State's entire investment supported IT Carlow's vision to deliver part-time and access programmes to the greater Dublin area. The State has abandoned the south east.
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It is clear that in the past decade no planning was done by Government.
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How can the Government ask anyone to sign up to the technological university without a realistic and honest plan for-----
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I think we are making some really significant progress when it comes to establishing a technological university for the south east. The previous Government passed legislation making technological universities possible. We have two already, one in Dublin and the other in Munster. I am confident in and strongly supportive of the possibility that the next one will be in the south east. It will make a big difference not just for Waterford, but for the wider region. There will be more students staying in the region and more students coming into the region. In terms of helping to attract foreign direct investment, that will be a big plus too. The Deputy will be aware that the Government is working to secure new sites and locations for that campus to allow it to expand in Waterford city in particular. I hope we will have good news on that soon.