Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the work that his Department is conducting with regard to technological universities; how this work is making Ireland more regionally balanced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40743/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Technological Universities (TUs) have been established to drive socio-economic development through the attraction of increased regional investment, skills and employment retention and creation, increased access to higher education, ensuring greater equity and countering educational disadvantage.

A national network of 5 TUs stretches across some 25 campuses, bringing the advantages and potential of university-driven skills and innovation to communities across the country. Higher education access is being provided in a far more balanced regional manner and TUs are driving regional development and socio-economic progress in places with no previous university footprint as diverse as Athlone, Carlow, Castlebar, Clonmel, Ennis, Killybegs, Letterfrack, Letterkenny, Mount Bellew, Rathnew, Sligo, Thurles, Tralee, Waterford and Wexford, perhaps most historically in the South East which has previously had no university presence until now.

Government has provided and continues to provide significant funding through the Higher Education Landscape and Transformation Fund for the pre- and post-establishment development of the TUs and most recently on 20 July I announced the new Technological Sector Advancement Fund of €50 million to mid-2026 which will make a contribution towards the costs of maintaining or initiating new activities that are central to an institution delivering on its mission and strategic plan and make provision for initiatives relating to further landscape reform. This Exchequer funding is in addition to EU co-funding secured under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and European Regional Development Funding of almost €124 million to support the development of TU research capacity and education and training reforms with a significant digital focus.

Significant capital infrastructure projects have been provided and continue to be developed and Government has also approved funding of €1 million to support TUs in the development of student accommodation strategies and feasibility studies. The options identified in the initial feasibility study will inform engagement regarding the establishment of a TU Borrowing Framework.

The focus of the TU agenda in the pivotal ‘post-establishment’ phase we have entered now shifts from establishment and set-up to a developmental period in which these new institutions are being equipped and enabled to deliver on their legislatively prescribed functions and individual regional missions. Excellence in research, strategic leadership in relation to enterprise partnerships, and a highly skilled talent pipeline are central to supporting and enabling SMEs, attracting FDI and retaining talent in the regions.

A key element of the current focus of my Department is to put in place of senior academic and institutional leadership teams to support TU Presidents in delivering on institutional missions. These posts are needed to lead structural transformation within the institutions, manage significant public resources and drive the institutions to deliver improved outcomes regionally across the multi-campus institutions.

Underpinned by recommendations from the OECD, my Department is engaging with counterparts in the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform to seek agreement on the structure and grading of senior management teams and is also in initial engagement with those officials in a phased process to review relevant issues around academic career structures and academic contracts in the TUs and in due course will also involve discussions with TU management and staff representatives on in relation to this hugely transformative process.

The TU agenda has progressed significantly since the formation of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science . I am confident we will continue to roll out the recommendation of the 2019 TURN report thereby ensuring our TUs provide the most appropriate higher education access and research-informed teaching and learning experience, enhanced research development, enterprise end community engagement within their legislatively prescribed functions and regional missions now and into the future.