Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael)
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I echo Senator O'Loughlin's remarks. This is a fabulous opportunity for the south east. As a student, I attended university in Waterford back when it transferred from WRTC to WIT in the 1990s. I will have to admit that my first protest was one fighting for facilities to be delivered on campus in Waterford in 1996, when we sat on the bridge to get a library, which was delivered a couple of years later. I participated in only the second protest in my life a couple of weeks ago outside the Russian embassy. It just goes to show I do not protest too often because I think dialogue and debate are far more lucrative in delivering. That said, this has taken a very long time. As the Chair said, it has been on the Cabinet's agenda for many years, so I congratulate the new Department and the Minister on the initiative to bring this forward right across the country, but particularly for the south east, with which I have a particular affinity.

I am glad the Minister referred to the specific capital funding for technological universities because it is important that the regions are provided with sufficient resources to keep up with their urban or city universities and educational campuses. That is critical to the economic welfare of the regions, particularly the south east, a fact that has been alluded to by several members.

I congratulate the Minister, the Department and the Government on this significant body of work. I congratulate previous committee Chairs and Ministers, who have put a lot of work into this to get us to this point. It is worth acknowledging their part in the process as well.