Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Senator for raising this issue which has a high priority for me. I am very much aware of the timeframes outlined by him.

As the House is aware, the higher education reform programme that was given initial impetus by the national strategy for higher education to 2030 is being rolled out. The implementation process relating to the evolutionary pathway laid out in the national strategy for institutes of technology is well under way. The document entitled, Completing the Landscape Process for Irish Higher Education, published by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, in February 2012 laid out a clear four stage process and criteria for institutes of technology that wished to apply for designation as a technological university. This is to ensure a high quality and performance bar is reached by groups of institutes that intend to apply for this new status. Three consortiums are engaged in the process. As the Senator outlined, two of them submitted detailed plans for a merger to the HEA in the summer that are being considered by an independent expert panel, while the third consortium is in the process of developing its plan. I do not propose to comment specifically on any of these proposals.

The general scheme of a technological universities Bill was published in January this year and went through pre-legislative scrutiny by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection. The Bill sets out the legislative framework for mergers and the establishment of technological universities. It also provides for modernised governance structures for institutes of technology. It is being drafted by the Office of Parliamentary Counsel and I intend to publish it early in 2015 and have it enacted during 2015 in sufficient time to facilitate the first envisaged mergers. That is the timeframe to which we intend to adhere.