Ruairi Ó Murchú (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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123. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of his engagements with Dundalk Institute of Technology regarding technological university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27002/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I was pleased to see the Dundalk Institute of Technology’s recent publication of its vision to become a campus of a multi-campus regional TU that is dynamic, accessible and student-centred. This publication marks meaningful progress on the proposed trajectory towards achieving technological university status. The vision piece will enable staff, students and wider stakeholders to be assured of the Institute’s direction of travel in seeking to position itself within a rapidly evolving higher education landscape that is being increasingly influenced by a new type of higher education institute of larger critical mass, reach and attraction in the technological university model.

On 7 April I held a meeting with public representatives in the North East, in which the Deputy participated, in relation to the proposals by Dundalk IT to progress on a trajectory to attain TU designation status. Both I and my Department look forward to the Institute creating the optimal circumstances, through its new vision, for a collaborative and committed local and regional buy-in to plans for merging with an established TU in due course that will enable Dundalk and its immediate and wider hinterland to benefit from the advantages of TU membership in terms of excellence in higher education provision, increased pathway access, connectivity, skills retention and creation, research and innovation development, attracting increased investment including FDI, deepened regional development and socio-economic progression. This was also the key message of my meeting with public representatives last month.

In addition, the Institute continues to be assisted by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in relation to submissions for funding under the HEA administered Transformation Fund and through the provision of the services of a highly respected HEA special advisor on higher education policy to assist the Institute as an external advisor going forward.

I can assure the Deputy of my continued support and that of my Department for Dundalk IT to progress on a trajectory to achieve TU designation in due course. Ultimately, however, it remains a matter for the governing body of the Institute to materially progress and deliver on its recently published vision to become a campus of a multi-campus regional TU.