Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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986. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the proposal to merge Cork Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Tralee, County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22079/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Munster consortium consisting of Cork IT and IT Tralee submitted a plan towards merger to the HEA in 2014. This was assessed by an international expert panel appointed by the HEA and found to be on a clear trajectory to meet the very robust performance and quality criteria that have been set down for merging institutes who wish to apply for the new technological university status.

This concluded stage 3 of the 4-stage process towards designation as a technological universities for the two consortiums. Having considered the reports of the expert panel, both governing bodies reaffirmed their decision to merge and seek Technological University designation and continue to work towards that goal.