Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy O'Dowd for his constant work with me, particularly on North-South issues on which there is potential to do an awful lot more. The Deputy is correct on the exchange of students between North and South as well. There is no reason people from Queen's University Belfast could not come to DkIT and vice versa. That is good on many levels, educational and otherwise.

I am very much interested in meeting the Drogheda and District Chamber, further education providers and the Deputy to discuss how we can make sure, as we roll out more in the further education and training space, such a large conurbation as Drogheda gets its fair share and is ready for the recovery, and also work out how DkIT will fit into the landscape of higher education. I very much welcome the chance to take the Deputy up on that invitation and have those meetings.

I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for her leadership on the south-east university project and for attending the meeting this morning. I am not playing politics and I want to work with everyone to get this project over the line. Carlow College, St. Patrick's, plays a major role in third level education and I look forward to seeing its future protected. The Deputy knows what I mean by that. I know work is going on with Institute of Technology Carlow. I will keep working with the Deputy on that.

I look forward to meeting Deputy Cahill regarding the home economics course and the opportunity to do more for Thurles. I thank him for his support on the roll-out of Athlone and Limerick institutes of technology and the benefits that will bring to Tipperary.

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