Aisling Dolan (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister's approval for the new Connacht-Ulster technological university for the west. This is an incredible achievement by the presidents, staff and students of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Letterkenny IT and IT Sligo. The new university will have eight campuses located in Killybegs, Letterkenny, Sligo, Castlebar, two locations in Galway city, Letterfrack and the agricultural college in Mountbellew. These towns will now become university campus towns. Students will be able to study courses locally and these will range from post-leaving certificate courses, PLCs, and diplomas to master's degrees, and to PhD level if they choose.

The technological university will also attract investment to the region. I also welcome the engagement it will have with industry in the area. It is important that we develop courses from PLC level all the way to diploma certification but that we link in with the education and training boards and apprenticeship programmes and also that we link in with the technological universities.

It is the season of club championships. I congratulate the Padraig Pearses GAA Club, which is based in Woodmount, Creagh, just outside Ballinasloe. It covers the areas of Taughmaconnell and Moore in south Roscommon. The club won its second ever Roscommon senior football championship in the pouring rain playing against Clann na nGael. Players from both teams gave it their all. It is a phenomenal and historic win. Great goals were scored by some of the local heroes, Paul Carey and Jack Tumulty. I wish all the team well. It was a wonderful celebration for the players, managers and volunteers.

There is something in the water around Ballinasloe because the ladies team also won on the same day. I congratulate the Ballinasloe GAA team, which sailed high last Sunday and won the Galway junior C ladies football county final. It means so much to all the teams involved in the club games played recently. It involves years of training and commitment. There has been a lockdown and great hardship recently, but these wins are magic and they bring real joy and pride. I congratulate all the teams. I hope we, too, might get fit as well.