Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I was delighted to be in Galway last week with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, for the launch of the active consent programme. We have managed to fund Ireland's first ever digital hub - effectively a website - with resources for staff and students in consent. Sexual harassment is not confined to third level education but third level education should be leading in this area. The work being done by the active consent programme is NUI Galway is world class. We will now have a resource where we will be able to train and support students and staff in sexual consent. This will roll out from the start of the new academic year. The Senator will be aware that I wrote to every institution in Ireland to ask them to publish an individual action plan on sexual harassment. They should not just hide behind or under national guidelines. What are they going to do on their campuses to have a zero tolerance approach to sexual harassment? I am really pleased that all those action plans have been submitted.

Regarding the technological university for Connacht-Ulster, I am delighted to see that the international advisory panel is in town - virtually - and is meeting people in the region. I know it met stakeholders the other day. I had a brief opportunity to speak with it yesterday. I very much hope that we will have a technological university for the west and north west in 2022, subject to a lot of necessary work being done between now and then. It is a very exciting development.