Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the transfer of the Tipperary institute from its location on Frank Drohan Road, Clonmel to the Watson Estate, Ballinganane, Clonmel including the stage of the tendering process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13076/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The report of the capital review and prioritisation working group under the Higher Education Authority, HEA, sets out a strategy to meet the future capital needs of the third level sector. In its submission to the review group, Tipperary Rural and Business Development Institute, TRBDI, included a proposal to develop a permanent campus in the planned Clonmel technology park, Ballingarrane estate. The report of the review group stated that the proposal, which involves the disposal of an existing property in Clonmel and the building of alternative facilities without incurring any Exchequer funding, has merit.

In March 2005, my Department gave TRBDI approval to proceed with seeking expressions of interest from private sector property developers to determine what could be provided at Ballingarrane in exchange for the institute's current property in Clonmel and this was advertised on the e-tenders website in June 2005. TRBDI is currently arranging a team of experts to evaluate the expressions of interest that have been received.