Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy. I hope she is asking a question to which she knows the answer is that we are not dragging our heels. The commitment we have given to the people of Wexford, to the Deputy and to the people of the south east is real. It is very real because we have invested an awful lot of money in it already. To be absolutely crystal clear, it is our intention to develop a state-of-the-art campus in Wexford. As the Deputy knows, we, and specifically SETU, have been working very closely with the local authority to try to secure a permanent home for the Wexford campus. I should pause and make the point that Deputy referenced in passing. There are already approximately 1,000 students studying third education through SETU, and she was once one of them, in County Wexford. We already have 1,000 students studying in a university in Wexford. They are not in a state-of-the-art campus and this is the problem. There is an ability to do a hell of a lot more if we can give them modern facilities.

The Deputy knows we have identified the preferred site. There had been a lengthy negotiation process that did not reach agreement. Wexford County Council has since progressed the acquisition of a site totalling 48.5 acres by way of compulsory purchase order. The intention is that a proportion of this site will now be used to facilitate a new Wexford campus for SETU, with the remainder of the site being developed by the local authority and the Murphy will have more information on this than I do. I was delighted to announce on 9 November 2023 that the acquisition of the Wexford town site has progressed significantly. What I mean by this is it had issued the notice to treat. My legal advice is that once this notice is issued it marks a significant milestone because it legally obligates the local authority to acquire the property. It also legally obligates the owner to surrender same.

SETU is now engaging with the Higher Education Authority to develop its case on what it wants to develop on the site. The project will be progressed through the technological sector strategic projects fund framework. That is how we intend to fund the development on the site. I spoke with the president of the South East Technological University, Professor Veronica Campbell as recently as yesterday. I am very confident following the conversation that she, her team and the governing authority have a very clear vision for the site. It is a vision that reflects on the strengths of the region and builds on links with employers in the region. It is not for me to speak for the autonomous institution but a number of the areas referenced by the Deputy around playing to Wexford's geographic strength make an awful lot of sense. Offshore wind is an obvious area of great potential.

I am absolutely confident that Professor Campbell, SETU and the Department not only are not dragging our heels on this but are enthusiastic proponents of having a clear plan as to what can go on the site. Of course it goes without saying, but I best say it for the record, the president of the university does have to follow the various approval processes and the public spending code. She does obviously need to seek governing authority approval. Once that happens, it will feed into the overall master plan.

I have heard a little bit of misinformation too and let me correct it. It was not from the Deputy. It was a little bit of misinformation around SETU holding up the master plan. This is not true. Wexford County Council should progress as it intend to do with its master plan. I am absolutely confident that the work SETU is undertaking will complement it and fit perfectly within it. I understand it intends to put the draft master plan out to consultation in June with responses due back by October.

See this speech in context