Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to raise the issue of Dundalk Institute of Technology's ambition to become a technological university. There is no doubt that the technological university project is transforming higher education across the State. With the recent announcements of the Technological University of the Shannon, the technological university for the south east and the Atlantic technological university, the national jigsaw the Minister has described is almost complete. I will mention again that the missing piece of the jigsaw is the north east. As the Minister knows, the sole provider of higher education in the north east is Dundalk Institute of Technology. There are more than 6,000 students and more than 500 staff members in the institute. Some 80% of the students who have attended it are part of the first generation of their families to attend third level education. It creates many thousands of jobs in the north east, attracts lots of multinational companies and helps SMEs to get the qualified people they need. Dundalk Institute of Technology is the life and soul of the north east. Only four years ago, the institute of technology was a leading force in the technological university project. The north east badly needs to be part of this exciting project. The area cannot be left behind. Will the Minister reassure me that Dundalk Institute of Technology is part of the technological university project?

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