David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application from Waterford Institute of Technology and Carlow IT to become a technological university; the stage the process is at; the next stages in this regard; if there is a timeframe for designation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17640/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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It is a matter for the relevant Institutes of Technology in a consortium to lead on the progression of their plans to seek designation as a technological university. Currently, four such consortia are at different stages of development, dependent on their particular circumstances.

In this context, it is my understanding that the Technological University for the South East (TUSE) consortium of the Waterford Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Carlow is progressing its work with a view to submitting an application for TU designation by the end of 2018 and has stated this publicly.

I further understand that a project steering group has met on a number of occasions since December 2017 and that a dedicated TUSE website has been established. Specific activities currently being progressed include a review of human resources processes and the establishment of an inter-institutional TUSE data gathering and statistical analysis team and a proposed TUSE Regional Engagement Council.

The relevant legal timelines pertaining to the making of an application for technological university designation, its assessment and the decision making process are set out in Chapter 9 of Part 2 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 (No. 3 of 2018).