Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The people of the south east can believe us because we are delivering. The Deputy can decide whether or not to get on board with that but we are delivering. There is a technological university in the south east. Job done. The staff and the students voted for it. Veronica Campbell, the former bursar of Trinity College Dublin, is the president, and Paddy Prendergast, the former provost of Trinity College Dublin, is chairing the governing authority. It is going really well. There is an excitement in Waterford and in the south east. There is an excitement across the political divide, by the way, whether one is in the Sinn Féin Party, the Fine Gael Party, Fianna Fáil Party or the Green Party. They are all getting on board and welcoming this university. That has happened. The staff and the students voted for it and there is cross-party support for it. It is game on. The Deputy can misrepresent my answer if he wishes. There is not another university in the country that has a separate commitment above and beyond competitive calls to expand the footprint in its city. I know that because I have access to the capital budget and there is not another one. I am not going to outline on the floor of the Dáil how we are going to negotiate commercially securing various things.

As a member of the Committee of Public Accounts, the Deputy knows how these processes work. We are investing in Waterford and the south east. The naysayers are wrong. South East Technological University is now there and was delivered by this Government.

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