Jennifer Murnane O'Connor (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a report on the way in which IT Carlow is integrating into the South East Technological University. [59818/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The South East Technological University was established on 1 May 2022, exactly seven months ago today; and simultaneously, IT Carlow and Waterford IT were dissolved.

My Department is committed to continuing to support all of the new TUs in developing their structures and capabilities to deliver on their ambitious agenda for their regions.

Exchequer funding has been provided to support and assist SETU under the Higher Education Landscape Fund and Transformation Fund, administered by the Higher Education Authority. To date funding allocated to SETU from these sources has amounted to some €19.6 million. I announced the latest tranche of €5.25 million in Transformation Funding for SETU on 11 November.

The integration of staff, students and all relevant academic policies, procedures and enabling systems of the two former Institutes into what is now a unified institution is the responsibility of the governing body and the institiution's leadership.

The Transformation Fund progress report supplied to the HEA by SETU indicates that there has been significant progress achieved, including the successful delivery of an integrated Financial Management System, transfer of all staff contracts to SETU, alignment of Employee Assistance Services and the approval of key HR and other policies including in relation to providing a secure IT infrastructure environment.

I understand that there is a survey of all SETU staff ongoing to gauge awareness levels and concerns relating to the merger and a focus on change impact assessment and change management as SETU begins to mainstream integrated activities and functions.

Communication of change continues to be facilitated through town hall meetings, webinars, project update newsletters, change training and the SETU change champion network operating across all staff constituencies and all SETU campuses.