Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update in respect of the legislative timeframe to allow for the establishment of the technological university for the south east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14532/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I published the General Scheme of a Technological Universities Bill in January this year. The Scheme is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection. I expect to receive their report by the end of April, at which time the Scheme will go to the Office of the Attorney General for legal drafting. It is my intention that the Bill will be enacted in 2015 to ensure that there is a legislative framework in place to allow for mergers and for the establishment of technological universities where merged institutes pass the quality and performance bar that has been clearly set out. A four stage process and criteria for becoming a technological university were published in 2012.