John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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Question 3: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the promise in the Programme for Government to explore a multi-campus technical university in the south east means that full university status will not be delivered; and when progress will be made in this regard [5592/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Policy for higher education needs to be directed at supporting the development of a higher education system of the highest quality and responsiveness in meeting the needs of the 21st century economy and society. One of the major factors associated with the positive performance of higher education systems internationally is institutional diversity.

I agree with the analysis and conclusion of the recently published national strategy for higher education to 2030 that there is no case for the creation of any new universities on the basis set out in section 9 of the Universities Act 1997. However, I also believe that the development of technological universities of equal status and of significant strength and quality, with their own legislative framework and a distinct mission that is faithful to the ethos of the technological sector, would complement our existing universities in meeting the full range of needs of students and wider society. I believe, therefore, that there is strong merit in the development pathway that has been laid out in the strategy for the creation of technological universities. It is important that any process of redesignation would focus on the capacity of amalgamated institutes of technology to meet mission relevant performance demands. Simply relabelling existing higher education institutions is not an option and to do so would do a grave disservice to the reputation and standing of our system and the needs of our students.

The establishment of a technological university will require the enactment of legislation. More immediately, it will also be necessary to publish the detailed performance criteria for a redesignation process and initial work is under way in developing these. I am committed to publishing these criteria at an early stage. An implementation group has been established and a detailed plan for the overall implementation of recommendations in the national strategy report is being developed. I will consider the scope and timeframe for legislative proposals as part of my wider consideration of that implementation plan.

John Halligan (Waterford, Independent)
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I thank the Minister for his kind words and I wish him well in the tough job he has in the years to come. I am sure he will do this best.

Four years ago, the former Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, appointed Dr. Jim Port to assess the case for university status in the south east. Other prominent individuals and organisations such as SIPTU, Dr. Peter Bacon, South Eastern Regional Authority, Waterford City Development Board, Deloitte Consulting and politicians from all parties, in particular, those from Fine Gael and the Labour Party who were in opposition at the time, unequivocally stated there was an imbalance in the region because of the lack of a university. The population of the south east is 450,000. Within a 45 minute radius of WIT, the population is 267,000 whereas within the same radius of Galway, it is 167,000. The critical mass exists in the south east for a university.

According to the latest statistics for entry to third level, the figure for Waterford and the south east is 11.2% as opposed to 15.2% nationally and 22% in Dublin. Surely that highlights the case for full university status. It has been proven that many people who leave their home areas to attend university do not return. Why does the Minister think the south east should be different from the mid-west or the west, which have full universities?

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I fully understand and sympathise with the sentiments that have been expressed in counties Wexford, Carlow and Waterford regarding the need for a top class third level university. However, that has to be balanced with where we are at the present time. We have seven universities and the Dublin Institute of Technology, DIT. There are 10,000 universities in the world. All our universities and the DIT are in the top 500 universities, which is extraordinary, and two of them are in the top 100. We should learn lessons from what our neighbours in Britain did years ago with the rebranding of polytechnics. Britain devalued the concept of a university by rebranding a host of polytechnics, which are similar to our institutes of technology. That is not the way to go. It would damage the university sector in its entirety to simply change the name of an institute. The Hunt report and the programme for Government have set out a path for a technological university. There are examples of first class technological universities across the world and the one that most easily comes to mind is Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, which is a world leader.

The Deputy is from Waterford and I am aware of the standards that have been achieved in WIT. The institute should play to its own strengths. A path is open to WIT to pursue a technological university structure. There will not be a rebranded university as long as I am Minister. I wish to be honest with Members.

I also congratulate Deputy Wallace on this election.