Dáil debates

Thursday, 8 July 2021

Ceisteanna - Questions - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions

Technological Universities

9:10 am

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is an excellent suggestion. I would be very happy to take the Deputy up on it and arrange for a meeting with Oireachtas Members from Wexford, perhaps the chief executive of Wexford County Council, the president of IT Carlow and their like to meet me. I would be very happy to try to do that this month, at least online. I will take the Deputy up on her offer to visit the existing campus. She makes an important point because there is an existing campus. We want to get it much better facilities but there are students today accessing third level education in Wexford.

We have made a lot of progress together and I acknowledge the support across the political spectrum. The Teachers Union of Ireland ballots have now been passed overwhelmingly in both WIT and IT Carlow. The international panel process is ongoing, as the Deputy says. We are very much on track, subject to the international panel's view, to have a new university for the south east designated and open its doors on 1 January 2022. I, too, want to make sure Wexford is a part of it. Wexford will be a part of it but I want to make sure we can secure the site. This will require many approaches. I will be very happy to work with the Deputy on it.

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