Maria Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, to the House. I thank her for coming to discuss this important topic.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for coming to the Chamber to discuss this important Commencement matter. The reason I have raised the issue is the most recent census showed that in my county of Wexford, the proportion of people going to third level is 37%, which is 8% below the national average of 45%. Wexford has the fourth lowest level of third level education of all counties. The South East Technological University offers us an opportunity to have a technological university based in Wexford where we can work to help to bridge the deficit for the attainment of third level education. As the Minister of State will be aware, a compulsory purchase order, CPO, process is under way to acquire lands to develop a designated campus at Killeens in Wexford town for the university. I am aware that this matter is before the courts, so I do not intend to discuss the specific issue of the land.

We were told that the Higher Education Authority, HEA, was examining the business case for the provision of funding for an SETU campus in Wexford, with a decision likely to be taken in the first quarter of 2025. Is the Government committed to the delivery of a Wexford campus for the SETU at Killeens? Will the Minister of State provide an update on the business case and on whether a decision been taken? Given the current uncertainty surrounding the site and the fact that a case is before the courts, is it possible for the HEA to progress the business case for funding for the campus? It is important that we are fully briefed on the status of this project because, as the Minister of State is no doubt aware, once the business case is approved, we still have to go through the master plan, design, planning permission, tender and, ultimately, construction stages. She might give us a sense of how she sees this project progressing over the next few years.

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I thank the Senator for raising the important matter of the proposed new campus for SETU in Wexford. As he is aware, the current SETU campus in Wexford is not suitable as a transformational learning and development environment. The university has been working on a proposal to provide fit-for-purpose infrastructure that both learners and staff at Wexford can be proud of. This proposal aims to provide a campus that will feature state-of-the-art teaching spaces, facilitating the delivery of SETU's education and training programmes as well as business incubation facilities that will help to foster innovation and entrepreneurship within the region. In line with the infrastructure guidelines, SETU has developed a business case to support this proposal, which is being progressed under the technological sector strategic project funds framework, TSSPF. SETU has submitted its business case to the HEA for consideration. If the business case is approved following evaluation, it will feed into the overall master plan being prepared by Wexford County Council for the lands in question.

In line with the infrastructure guidelines, successful business cases are required to be further developed as part of the pre-tender, project design, planning and procurement strategy stage. This is a key stage of development where the proposal will be further refined, the design will be further advanced and the procurement strategy and project execution plan will be developed. Funding requirements for the proposal will be informed by the relevant evaluation processes and the funding availability in the context of the Department's overall capital budget. Specific funding will be set aside within the Department's budget for the cost of the site.

Tremendous work has been done by Wexford County Council on progressing a site for the proposed development. Senator Byrne will be aware that over recent years, SETU has been working closely with the council to help identify an appropriate site for a permanent home for the Wexford campus. As part of this engagement, a preferred site was identified. Following a lengthy negotiation process between the council and the vendor, agreement could not be reached on a price, so the council progressed the acquisition of the site, totalling 48.5 acres, by way of CPO. The intention is that a proportion of the site will be used to facilitate a new Wexford campus for SETU, with the remainder being developed by Wexford County Council.I am aware that a legal challenge has been received in respect of the CPO and this is before the courts for consideration, with a High Court hearing scheduled to take place in May. It would not be appropriate of me to make any further comment while these proceedings remain ongoing.

Cathal Byrne (Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister of State for confirming that specific funding has been set aside within the Department's budget towards the cost of the site. I recently met Professor Veronica Campbell, the president of the SETU, along with my colleague, Councillor Robbie Staples. I commend the great work taking place on the current Wexford campus of SETU at St. Peter's College and the work being done to put the word out that there are courses available there. This is about securing a purpose-built, designated, state-of-the-art facility for the SETU in Wexford.

Regarding the business case and the current evaluation of it by the HEA, when is it likely that we will have an update?

Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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I thank the Senator for providing me with the opportunity to set out the position of this project for the south east. I heard what he said about the figures regarding educational access and the need to improve that in the south east. My Department and I are supportive of the need to work collaboratively with the SETU via the HEA to advance this project. Capital investment is a key priority for my Department and I recognise the importance of developing, enhancing and supporting the new TU sector to allow it to provide high-quality campuses for teaching, learning and research.

At the moment, the CPO process is currently at the notice to treat stage. It is the intention that a portion of this site will be used to facilitate a new Wexford campus for SETU, with the remainder of the site being developed by Wexford County Council. SETU has submitted its business case for the proposed development of the site to the HEA for evaluation. If that business case is approved, it will feed into the overall master plan currently being prepared by Wexford County Council for the subject bands.

The Senator mentioned the legal challenge that has lodged by the landowner. That is due to be heard in May. It is important to recognise that the purpose of the hearing is to consider the merits of the landowner's application for a judicial review. That means a judicial review has not yet been granted. That is where we are at present. I am happy to speak to the Senator and to the senior Minister regarding the progress on this matter.