James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I am a strong supporter of this project as I think and hope the Deputy and other Wexford stakeholder know. I share ambition of the region and Wexford town, in particular, to develop a customised significant third level campus in Wexford town. The educational needs, level of educational attainment, industrial base and the demographics all support that strongly. I am very much on board with that.

The proposal to develop that Wexford campus is being progressed under the technological sector strategic projects fund. It is a particular within the Department to assist the technological universities with putting together these types of proposals. On the engagement I have had on it, I met with the president, Professor Veronica Campbell, and the chair, Professor Patrick Prendergast, of SETU in July in my office in Government Buildings. I also met with the president, Professor Campbell, again in late August on the matter. I have had ongoing engagements with the HEA, both directly and through my officials. They will be ongoing. My message to all of them has been of encouragement and that I am keen to see this project move along through the different stages.

As the Deputy knows very well being on the ground, it has not always been straight forward. There has been a site identified by Wexford County Council. It is in the region of 48.5 acres. There was a proposal for the council to compulsory purchase order, CPO, that land. That became complicated. There were challenges to it. Those have thankfully fallen away through the court system. However, the latest is that a sum has to be agreed in terms of what the purchase price is going to be. That is ongoing. There is a risk that if it cannot be agreed, it could be referred to arbitration, but my understanding is that has not happened, and the negotiations are proceeding. I will not say that they are going well because I do not know. However, I have not been told that they are going badly. That is under way. I expect that to be completed in the near future.

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