Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy and acknowledge her support and advocacy for the importance of a technological university for the north west, an issue that is also of concern to Deputy Conway-Walsh. I need to be careful in what I say because I understand a ballot of the Teachers' Union of Ireland, TUI, is about to conclude but, without pre-empting any outcomes of any ballots, I am hopeful that I will shortly receive an application for a technological university for the north west, the Connacht-Ulster Alliance application, in the coming days. A massive amount of work has been undertaken. If and when I receive the application, I will publicly acknowledge receipt of it. I would then propose to meet all Oireachtas Members from the region within the coming days on an all-party basis. Let us wait and see when the application comes in. It is up to the consortium to submit the application. When it arrives, I will note that publicly and will then move, in the following days, to meet with Oireachtas Members from the region to update them on that and the next steps. A very specific and prescribed number of actions must be taken when an application comes in. Ultimately, the Minister of the day receives the application and an international, independent panel is appointed to assess the application. We have a template now because we have gone through this process a few times. That is the current and most up-to-date position.

To respond specifically to Deputy Pringle's inquiries regarding Letterkenny, I am pleased to inform him that there are three Exchequer-funded projects in the pipeline which will significantly enhance higher education infrastructure at the LYIT and support the development of the planned new technological university for the west and north west. Refurbishment and upgrade works to the main LYIT building on the Killybegs campus have been approved and are under way, with phases 1 and 2 of the project complete. Phase 3 is expected to be on-site early this summer. The upgrade work will support the long-term sustainability of the Killybegs campus. A major new library, ICT and education building is also planned. LYIT was one of the eight institutions approved in 2020 to progress a project under the energy efficiency and decarbonisation pathfinder programme.

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