Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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Question 24: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to explore the establishment of a multi-campus technical university in the south east. [9856/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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2057The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, otherwise known as the Hunt report, lays out a clear possible development pathway for amalgamated institutes of technology which meet specified performance criteria to seek re-designation as technological universities. A small number of new technological universities, with their own legislative framework and a distinct mission that is faithful to the ethos of the technological sector, working with existing universities, institutes of technology and other education providers, can enrich the diversity and quality of the Irish higher education landscape.

The establishment of any technological university will require the enactment of legislation. More immediately, it will also be necessary to publish the detailed performance criteria for a re-designation process and initial work is under way in developing these. I am committed to publishing these criteria at an early stage. I will consider the scope and timeframe for legislative proposals as part of my wider consideration of implementation priorities.