Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for her reply. I am sure she is well aware there are growing concerns around the consortium in regard to the Munster technological university, MTU. They are based on a number of issues, including the cost of it, which is €6.7 million. To date, no detailed financial projections or analysis has been put forward by both institutes on how they will meet those targets. All we have heard is that they will be met through efficiencies but we do not know what those efficiencies are. I asked the HEA if it had seen any of the financial projections but it said it would not be part of the stage two process. Therefore, the HEA has not seen them and it envisages they will be part of the stage 4 process.

In regard to the process, there is a difference of opinion about the recommendations put forward by the expert panel, which I have read. A number of them relate to financing and governance issues. The HEA has been very clear in saying that those recommendations, while not binding, will form an integral part of the process of awarding technological university status to the MTU. However, in the minutes of the meetings held between the leadership of both institutes of technology and the unions, the governing bodies stated that those recommendations will not be binding and, in many cases, may not be implemented and that they are pressing ahead with the original proposal. How will that play out in stage 4?

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