James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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38. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the establishment of the technological university of the south-east with the provision of a County Wexford campus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16785/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under the statutory framework detailed in the Technological Universities Act 2018, it is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant Institutes of Technology participating in a TU development consortium to progress their plans and, when ready, to make an application to the Minister seeking an order establishing a TU subject to their meeting the eligibility criteria prescribed in the 2018 Act.  

The Government recognises the urgency attached to the requirement for a technological university for the South East of Ireland as the only region in the State that does not have the benefit of a university presence and is committed to delivering on our Programme for Government commitment in this regard.  

Last week I updated Government on the progress that has been made since the enactment of 2018 Act in 2018. It is my Department’s understanding that the TUSEI consortium of IT Carlow and Waterford IT continues to actively develop its proposals for TU designation. To this end the consortium has established a fulltime project office and is implementing key elements of a cross-institutional change management programme and is working through relevant issues with staff and in terms of ensuring the financial robustness of any new TU.  To date, the TUSEI consortium has received €3.7 million in Exchequer funding, of which €2 million was allocated last year, to assist its TU development proposals. The design and implementation of a new TU Transformation Fund totalling €90 million over the next three years, is currently being developed by the Higher Education Authority in consultation with the technological sector. This funding will benefit established TUs and TU development consortia, including TUSEI, considerably and put TUs nationally on a solid foundation as recommended by the 2019 TU Research Network high level advisory body report.

Earlier this week I announced the appointment by the TUSEI consortium of an independent person to accelerate plans for a TU in the South East. Mr Tom Boland, a former Chief Executive of the Higher Education Authority, will be the new independent Programme Executive Director for the project and he is tasked with driving to completion the submission of an application for TU designation under the 2018 Act.

A step change in the pace of the project is essential and Mr. Boland’s appointment is a statement of intent in that regard. I plan to meet the Chairs and Presidents of the two institutes with the Programme Executive Director to communicate Government’s expectation that there would be significant progress by the end of this year to develop TU proposals.

Upon establishment, the siting of its multi-campuses are a matter for each TU. My Department understands that both IT Carlow and my Department remain fully committed to the development of higher education facilities in Wexford and that the process to secure a location for a higher education campus in Wexford, which is being led by IT Carlow, is ongoing. My Department has agreed in principle to provide funding for acquisition of a site for the new campus.