Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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88. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the Atlantic technological university is on track to commence operations in 2022; if consideration has been given to locating the headquarters of the new technological university in County Mayo; if further details are available on the plans for the campus in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6362/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Ministerial order drafted to appoint both the official name and date of establishment of the Atlantic Technological University has been approved by both Houses of the Oireachtas in accordance with section 3 of the Technological Universities Act 2018 and I will shortly sign this order appointing 1 April 2022 as the date of establishment.

An open public process seeking nominations for the positions of Chairperson and two ordinary members of the first governing body of the new TU has been run by my Department and I am currently considering a number of shortlisted candidates presented to me under this process.

The relevant applicant institutes are currently progressing an open competition to identify and put forward a suitably qualified candidate to myself as Minister for designation as the first president of the TU in accordance with section 56 of the 2018 Act.

Post- establishment the specific roles, plans for and operation of the TU’s eight campuses across the West and North West, will be a matter for the governing body of the autonomous higher education institution.