Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree. As it is a sensitive moment with regard to that public private partnership, PPP, bundle, I will be limited in what I will say. I expect to be in a position to bring finality and clarity to that very shortly. I know how much the new engineering, computing and general teaching building that is planned for SETU in Waterford has been anticipated for a very long time. I accept there have been very many false dawns over the years but the building will add significant capacity to the campus to help increased demand. It is almost 13,000 sq. m and is the largest of all the projects in that PPP bundle. It is expected to add space for in excess of 1,000 students. I know very well the importance of it. I will keep in touch with the Deputy on that.

I am also very eager to make progress on the existing estate as regards our higher education energy efficiency and decarbonisation pathfinder programme. Two projects at SETU have been approved to advance through that pathfinder programme. These are a deep fabric retrofit to the business school at SETU Waterford and a medium retrofit with a high-temperature, air source heat pump to the Burrin building at SETU Carlow. Both those projects have received approval.

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