Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)

All of us are conscious of the linkage between the provision of higher education, whether at institute of technology, further education or university level, and commercial activity. The needs of the south east are pressing. Will it be the Minister's role to sign off on the criteria subsequent to the HEA submitting them to his Department? Does he expect to be in a position, in the spring, to set down specific criteria for possible redesignation of institutes of technology?

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