Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The second-biggest city in Northern Ireland, Derry, has fewer than 6,000 third level students, whereas 35,000 to 40,000 students have descended on our second-biggest city, Cork, and are attending Munster Technological University or University College Cork. What commitment can we give to try to assist in the development of a major third level institution in the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland, particularly in the context of the barriers that have been put up over many years in the context of that development? As Lord Mayor of Cork, I had the privilege of presenting the freedom of the city of Cork to John Hume. I proposed that it be called the John Hume memorial university, which would have huge international attraction. Cross-border development is extremely important for the region. What progress can be made on that in the next 12 months?

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