Ossian Smyth (Dún Laoghaire, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science thanks the Deputy for raising this matter because it gives me, on his behalf, the opportunity to set out to the House the position regarding the Maynooth student centre. Maynooth University recently informed the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science that its governing authority had taken the difficult decision to terminate the Maynooth University student centre contract. The Department does not have any direct involvement in the project in question, as no direct Exchequer funding was being provided by the Department for the project, which was solely being funded by European Investment Bank borrowings which were serviced by income from a student levy. However, all capital projects advanced by publicly funded higher education institutions must comply with the provisions of the spending code. The Minister understands that, following detailed consideration of a number of matters, including the risk associated with continuing with a project that would then breach the public spending code, the governing authority decided to terminate the contract.

Higher education institutions, HEIs, are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technology Act 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous bodies responsible for their day-to-day management and operational affairs, including dealing with policy and procedure regarding any levy payable by students for services or campus facilities. The expenditure incurred to date on the project will be met by the university from financial reserves. No financial contribution is being sought from the Exchequer and there will be no impact on the student levy collected from the university student body.

Maynooth University has an ongoing programme of enhancement of student facilities. Current projects include additional social spaces for student use, study spaces, meeting pods for student meetings, enhanced furniture in existing spaces, additional parking, a new bus terminus and a new outdoor gym. Maynooth University is considering the most appropriate way of meeting the needs for additional student spaces on campus in the short and long-term in the overall context of achieving value for money in any future investment.

The Minister met student representatives on a range of issues on Thursday, 6 October. The students' union from Maynooth University was represented at the meeting and he listened to its concerns about the student centre and levy. The Minister also met the chair of the governing authority of the university recently and strongly encouraged the university to continue engagement with the student representative body on the next steps for the project. He understands a further meeting with the student representative body is scheduled for this week.

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