South East Technological University investment
Deputy Shanahan challenged the Taoiseach on capital investment, the PPP engineering building, student accommodation and whether the new university is delivering real change for the south east. The Taoiseach defended the university as a major regional gain and said he had followed up on the capital issues, promising a written update.
In our exchange during Leaders' Questions yesterday regarding south-east development progress, the Taoiseach said that the university for the south east is done. Almost one year after the merger, it is far from done on the ground. Indeed, at this moment, it is more of a complex and somewhat loveless merger with a rebrand.
What measures specifically does the Government plan to take to make the university a meaningful improvement? The Taoiseach promised a game-changer that will halt the brain drain. When will the decade-long PPP engineering building commence? When will the South East Technological University be allowed to borrow to build additional teaching space? What capital investment is envisaged on the long-awaited footprint at Waterford? At this point, the Taoiseach's mantra that the university is done sounds more in tune with George Bush's mission accomplished speech in Iraq.
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I am a little bit disappointed in the Deputy's question. People in the south east fought for a very long time to secure a university for the region. We now have the South East Technological University. It is an addition to the region and certainly when I went to visit and spoke to businesses and ordinary people in the region about it, they accepted that it is a plus and a good thing. I am disappointed.
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I asked about capital investment.
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Maybe the Deputy does not realise he is doing this, but he is talking down the only university in his region.
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I am just asking about the capital investment programme.
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It is not something that most people from most parts of the country do. The Deputy can call for something to be improved and expanded without talking it down and making out that it is-----
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Again, I asked about capital investment and the schedule.
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-----something less than it is. I actually have an update on those three issues. I cannot remember it all off the top of my head but I did follow up on the PPP building, the former Waterford Crystal site, the student accommodation issue and the borrowing. I will send that to the Deputy in writing so that I get it exactly right.