Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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27. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total funding provided by the Higher Education Authority to the Connaught-Ulster Alliance consortium in seeking technological university status since 2015; the way this funding was spent; the progress on the submission; when a decision will be made on its status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49852/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I provided the Deputy with details of the funding of the Connacht Ulster Alliance TU development consortium since 2013 as recently as March.

On 8 September the HEA announced funding of€25.7million under the Technological University Transformation Fund (TUFT) to relevant higher education institutions in support of progression towards TU status or for the post-establishment development phase for established technological universities (TUs). This brings total funding under the TUTF to date to €60 million with a further €30m to be awarded next year to assist the development and progression of TUs.

To date, the CUA consortium has received a total of €15.82 million in Exchequer funding to advance its proposals, of which €4.22 million was allocated under the second tranche of the TUTF last September.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) which administers funding schemes advancing technological university (TU) establishment and development, has informed my Department that TU related projects awarded Landscape Funding between 2017 and 2019 are the subject of an ongoing independent external review commissioned by the Authority. The review is examining project management, financial management, and the impact of the funding awarded, and will also include a report on lessons learned across the TU related projects awarded funding. The use of Landscape Funding by the CUA consortium forms part of the review, and the report will include a statement of actual expenditure against projected costs.

In addition, as part of ongoing monitoring of the current TUTF, the HEA holds quarterly meetings with consortia/institutions to track progress towards results, as set out in the TUTF project plans. Written and financial reports on progress are required bi-annually. The first TUTF annual report relating to expenditure in the 2020/21 academic year is expected to be returned shortly by CUA to the HEA and will include a statement of expenditure in the first year of the Fund.

As the Deputy will be aware the CUA consortium submitted an application to me on 21 May 2021 under section 29(1) of the Technological Universities Act 2018 seeking the making of an order to dissolve the relevant Institutes of Technology and to establish in their place a technological university to serve the West / North West 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. Before doing so, I intend to bring a Memorandum for Information to the Cabinet next week.