Joe Carey (Clare, Fine Gael)
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98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the new technological university will be legally established to create Athlone and Limerick institute of technology; his views on the measures needed to ensure the towns of Thurles and Clonmel, County Tipperary will prosper as university towns; the regional assistance that will be needed to facilitate the new designations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26136/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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There are a number of important statutory and administrative procedures to be completed as part of the process leading to the establishment of the new technological university (TU) made up of AIT and LIT. These include the approval of an order under section 36 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 by the Houses of the Oireachtas and the appointment of the first governing body of the new TU as well as a recruitment process undertaken leading to the appointment of the first president. These matters will be progressed as a matter of urgency with the aim of the new TU being established later this year.

The communities in areas where there are campuses of the new TU such as those referred to in the Deputy's question will, over time, benefit from the university attracting more students, the retention and creation of skills and employment in its regional hinterlands and acting as a catalyst for research, innovation and enterprise with a view to attracting increasing levels of investment including foreign direct investment, contributing to further regional and socio-economic development. It will be a matter for the governing body of the new TU to fulfil its functions under the Act, a number of which relate to regional development and community interaction. This will include delivery of these functions across the multi-campuses of the new university in concert with the university’s staff and students, external regional stakeholders and wider community interests.

As one of their legislatively required functions, TUs shall foster close and effective relationships with statutory bodies including those responsible for regional development, local authorities, Education and Training Boards and organisations representing the social, creative and cultural interests of the communities in the regions being served.

Funding from the Exchequer will continue to be provided as appropriate through the TU Transformation Fund, under which €90 million will be provided in the period to 2023, bringing total funding of the TU agenda to some €121 million since 2013. Significant capital development is also being provided or planned for TU campuses in line with funding available under the National Development Plan and subject to the public spending code.

Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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99. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the name he plans to apply to the new LIT and AIT technological university; the process undertaken by the project team; the consultation process to arrive at the proposed agreed name which he rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26959/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with section 36 of the Technological Universities Act 2018, I am required to make an order appointing a day for the dissolution of Athlone and Limerick ITs and for the establishment of the new TU following my granting of the joint application of the two applicant institutes seeking the making of such an order.

The order, the draft of which must be approved by a resolution of each House of the Oireachtas in due course, shall include the name by which the TU is to be known.

The Institutes, my Department understands, undertook a consultation process to propose a name for the TU when established. Neither myself as Minister nor my Department played any role in that process and as such are not privy to the precise details of same.

The name put forward by the Institutes was “Technological University of the Shannon: Athlone and Limerick”, abbreviated to TÚS:AL. Whereas the Institutes proposed this name I also received a considerable range of representations from some who did not favour this name. Having considered the matter, I was also not convinced that, given the expanded regional mandate of the new Technological Universities, it was best to adopt a practice of referencing the constituent Institutes in the title.

I have written to the Institutes to advise them that the name I intend to include on the draft order is “Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest".

I want to thank all of those involved in giving detailed consideration to the name for the Technological University. While an important task, I am confident that the success of this university will be guaranteed by the quality of the teaching and research which it will develop, building on strong track record of both Limerick and Athlone institutes of technology, rather than the name by which it is known.