James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

We need to see more leadership from the Government on this in terms of bringing together the institutes of technology and ensuring that a technological university for the south east is developed. It is a major region without a university and this is impacting dramatically. We have one of the worst socio-economic areas in the country with persistently high unemployment and persistently high levels of low-quality jobs, which is reflected in the tax returns. A study on this was done in Waterford Institute of Technology with regard to the south east. Until we have a university in the south east, it will not be empowered to help itself alleviate its own socio-economic problems. We need to see greater leadership in bringing on the university. It is five years since we heard how a campus in Wexford would be attached to the university. This still has not been provided. It has also fallen by the wayside. Land was supposed to be acquired for a campus for this university in Wexford but this still has not happened. We are very concerned in Wexford and in the south east. We have been hearing talk there about a university for a long time and it has fallen behind again.

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