Violet-Anne Wynne (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I look forward to welcoming the Minister to County Clare soon. I know he had provisionally planned to be there recently. I am interested in that event taking place as soon as possible.

I thank the Minister for the information he provided in his reply. I acknowledge his work in making County Clare a university county, as he stated, and making Ennis a university town. Many people were involved in that campaign for a long time. I take this opportunity to acknowledge their hard work in the House. The TUS campus in Ennis currently offers social care work courses up to levels 7 and 8, as well as a business degree in collaboration with LCETB outside the traditional CAO process. I welcome this move because it has opened up many opportunities for people in County Clare. I meet many young constituents who are crippled with anxiety over the leaving certificate and points. Anything to ease that burden and create alternative pathways into degree programmes should be welcomed and celebrated. For that, I commend the Minister and TUS. The university also offers a complement of programmes. We are on the cusp of something huge in the mid-west. I do not want the opportunity offered by offshore renewables to be lost, which I will address more in my next contribution.

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