Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party)
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46. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the technological university application with respect to Waterford IT and IT Carlow; when he expects a decision to be finalised; the subsequent timeline for designation of technological university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49847/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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On 30 April 2021 the TUSEI consortium, comprising IT Carlow and Waterford IT, submitted an application to me under Section 29 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 seeking the making of an order to dissolve both Institutes of Technology and to establish in their place of a technological university to serve the South East region.

I subsequently appointed an expert advisory panel to assess the application in accordance with section 31(3) of the 2018 Act. The panel has forwarded its report to the Board of the HEA in accordance with Section 32(1) of the 2018 Act.

I am now in receipt of the panel’s report, the Board’s views thereon and any other information considered relevant and I am considering all information with a view to making a decision on the application shortly.