Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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In February 2006 Waterford Institute of Technology made a formal application to the Department of Education and Science in pursuit of university status. The submission embraces constituent campuses throughout the south east. There was an expectation by the institute at the time that a body of national and international education experts would be set up to adjudicate the merits of the institute's case and then report to the Higher Education Authority.

More than three years later, I tabled a parliamentary question last Tuesday, asking the Minister for Education and Science to request the Higher Education Authority to recommend, as provided for under section 9.1 of the Universities Act 1997, the membership of a body to include international experts and national experts for appointment by the Government. This body would advise the Higher Education Authority whether Waterford Institute of Technology should be established as the university of the south east.

The Minister's reply was clear. He stated there are no plans to advance any of the current applications for university status before the strategy group on higher education reports. The Minister has asked the group to report to him with a two-decade roadmap for the development of the sector.

The Minister has asked the group to report to him with a two decade road map for the development of the sector before the end of the year. There is no guarantee that it will report on time and if previous adherence to timeframes around the Waterford Institute of Technology application is repeated, it could be quite some time before the report is produced.

The Minister stated that applications have been received for designation as universities from Waterford Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology. Dublin already has three universities and Cork has one. In addition to universities, Limerick and Galway have institutes of technology. Waterford and the south-east region are alone in not having a university. When we compare the five major cities in terms of spending on third level education, Dublin's spend is more than 11 times that of Waterford, Cork spends almost four times as much and Galway and Limerick have three times Waterford's spend.

One tactic used by Fianna Fáil to delay commencing the statutory process of assessment for the WIT application announced by the then Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, in advance of the 2007 general election was that a preliminary assessment of the submission would be made by Dr. Jim Port, a UK-based independent consultant. This was a ploy to get Fianna Fáil through the election by giving the impression that something real was happening on the application. Dr. Port's report was finally published in February 2008. In it, he described the Waterford Institute of Technology application as a serious one that raised a number of issues for the Government but contained nothing inherent to prevent its consideration under the existing process. Dr. Port found that WIT has an academic maturity and activity profile in degree and postgraduate training, research and scholarly activity which overlaps with institutions in the Irish university sector and other western countries. He felt that WIT fulfils many of the broader roles of the university, especially in terms of supporting the regional economy and cultural development and knowledge transfer.

There is a brain drain from the south east, with some 7,000 students at any given time studying in universities outside the region. Many of these will never return to live in the region. There is a regional deficit in fourth level education provision and under capacity in research and development. If the south-east region is to be part of Ireland's smart economy, it must have a university.

I am demanding that the statutory process on the WIT application be initiated immediately. This will not cost a great deal of money or impinge on the work of the strategy group. I call on the Government to end its cynicism and evasion and the dishonest ploys which have been repeatedly to avoid progressing the application by WIT for university status.

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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I am taking this adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Batt O'Keeffe.

Applications have been received from three institutes of technology, namely, Waterford Institute of Technology, Dublin Institute of Technology and Cork Institute of Technology, for designation as universities. These applications raise significant issues regarding Government policy towards higher education, in particular regarding the existing roles of universities and institutes of technology, which have distinctive missions, provide different levels and types of academic programmes, fulfil different roles in the community and have separate academic and governance structures.

Waterford Institute of Technology is a very important institution and makes a significant contribution to education generally and the economic and social well-being of the south-east region. It has an excellent track record of industry collaboration, particularly in the areas of applied research and curriculum design. The Government wants to see Waterford Institute of Technology further develop its strengths in these areas in line with the objectives of the Government's strategy for science technology and innovation.

Since the applications for university status were received, there have been significant changes in the legislative and regulatory framework governing the institute of technology sector. The Institutes of Technology Act 2006 provides for the creation of a unified management structure framework for higher education in Ireland by bringing the institute of technology sector under the remit of the Higher Education Authority. The legislation also extends significant managerial and academic autonomy to the institutes, with a view to facilitating further development of their roles.

In its review of the Irish higher education sector conducted in 2004, the OECD found that the differentiation of mission within the sector contributed significantly to Irish economic growth and recommended that no further institutional transfers be made to the university sector. Building on the reform agenda that has been under way since the publication of the OECD report five years ago and in recognition of the critical role that the higher education system plays in generating the skills, knowledge and innovation on which Ireland's future competitive advantage depends, the Government believes it is time to develop a new national higher education strategy which will provide a road map for the future development of the sector.

The process to develop a new strategy was launched by the Minister last month and is being led by a high level steering group which draws on national and international expertise and includes representatives from business, community and student interests as well as senior Government officials. The strategy process will examine how well Ireland's higher education system is performing, how it ranks internationally, how well existing resources are being used and how the system can be reconfigured to meet the challenges it will face over the next two decades. The process is expected to be completed by the end of the year. Pending its completion, there are no plans to advance any of the current applications for university status.

I have a feeling that I read a reply on the same issue one year ago. The situation appears to be evolving but I do not think the intention is to mess up Waterford. It is important to formulate long-term Government thinking before making a final decision. I thank the Deputy for raising the matter.