Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 64: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she will make a decision following the publication of the Port report in February 2008. [13471/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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To date applications have been received to invoke section 9 of the Universities Act 1997 from Waterford Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology. Any such application requires a detailed examination in the context not only of the detailed statutory process to which they are subject but also of their wider implications for higher education policy generally.

These applications raise significant issues regarding Government policy towards higher education, in particular the existing roles of the universities and institutes of technology which have distinctive missions from each other, provide different levels and types of academic programmes, fulfil different roles in the community and have separate academic and governance structures.

The Government wants to build on our strengths and to provide an environment where all our higher education institutions can develop in a way that best serves the country as a whole and the regions where they are based. These issues must be central to consideration of the appropriate next steps in all applications, which I have been examining in conjunction with my Government colleagues.

Waterford IT is already making a significant contribution to the development of the south-east region. It has an excellent track record of industry collaboration, particularly in areas of applied research and curriculum design. I want to see Waterford IT further develop its strengths in these areas in line with the objectives of the Government's strategy for science technology and innovation.

In this regard one of the key development and investment priorities for the Waterford gateway in the current national development plan is the "investment in the R&D capacity of Waterford Institute of Technology to underline the importance of education to Waterford as a centre of excellence".

While Dr. Port's report is specifically on the Waterford application, it also provides a useful analysis of the wider context in which any application for designation as a university must be considered. The report provides an overview of the complex issues involved and will contribute to an informed debate, nationally and regionally, on the issue and help inform final consideration of the matter.

The options presented in the Port report are being examined carefully by officials of my Department and the Higher Education Authority with a view to developing specific proposals on the appropriate next steps in the context of wider considerations. I intend to present proposals to Government in this regard very shortly.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The net question is if the Minister supports the establishment of a university in the south east.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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It is a very important question.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It is and I recall the last Question Time was allowed to run over so this matter could be taken.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I am sure it would not have if we could just have had an answer.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The application will be considered in the context of not only the region of Waterford but also international priorities. That leaves something for the Government to consider.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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The WIT application dates back to 2005. The Minister commissioned Dr. Port's report to get her through the general election and she knows this was published on 20 February, the last time my colleagues put down a question on it. The Minister stated at the time she would come to a view on the report within a matter of weeks. Will the Minister please get off the fence and make up her mind on the issue?

The Cabinet is clearly affected by dissension and division on the subject, as could be noted from the rather public spat the Minister had with the Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Deputy Cullen, at the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting last month. When will the Minister make up her mind on the issue? Her indecision is leading to total instability within the higher education sector and she must come to a view sooner rather than later as to the future and the responsibility and need for a university in the south east. When will we get the decision?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I am cognisant of the OECG report, which discussed the binary system in Ireland and the distinct roles of the institutes of technology and universities. That has led to the success of regional development in this country and I want to ensure nothing impinges on that. That report indicated in particular that this system should be protected, and naturally I want to do so.

I am equally cognisant of the regional argument being made by Waterford IT and that it has developed an academic expertise. Since the application came in, a number of significant events have happened, particularly the introduction of the legislation on the institutes of technology. That addressed many of the issues raised by Waterford Institute of Technology in its application. These included monetary issues, the management structure, academic freedom and budgets. All those were addressed by the legislation, which changed the context for the Port report.

Dr. Port discusses in the report that there are no criteria in this country——

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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That is section 9.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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——under section 9. It would be absolutely impossible for any Minister to start a process if there are no criteria by which it could be judged. That should be done in the first instance.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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In reply to a previous question, the Minister stated that her Department will soon place proposals before the Government. The key issue on which she must decide is whether to allow the Waterford application, which was made in 2005, to be independently assessed under section 9, as it currently stands. Is she suggesting that she will, in light of the recommendations in Dr. Port's report, be reformatting section 9 in advance of allowing Waterford or any other college to seek full university status? Is that the position?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Not only did the context change in respect of the legislation, it also changed when the Dublin and Cork institutes of technology revitalised their applications. We also received a submission from the institutes of technology in general regarding a federal structure for Ireland. The one thing the Minister for Education and Science must do is protect the status and standard of higher education in Ireland. We witnessed what happened with the polytechnics in the UK and we want to ensure that does not happen here.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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We all agree with the Minister in that regard.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In the first instance, the proposals set out in Dr. Port's report suggest that we must examine not only the regional model but also its national counterpart. We must also consider what action to take in respect of the criteria. It is not possible to kick-start a process without——

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Will a decision be forthcoming before the summer?

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The Deputy has got to be joking.

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Proposals based on the recommendations in the Port report will be put to Government shortly.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Will that happen before the summer?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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It will happen in the coming weeks.