Ninth Level Ireland

“John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has advised Waterford and Carlow Institutes of Technology of the way in which the projected combined deficit, debt and payroll costs of the planned technological university of the south east, reportedly estimated at €26 million by 2024-2025, will be addressed …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 10 October]

“The President of Waterford IT says the Technological University for the South East has to happen within the next six to 12 months. The application from WIT and IT Carlow still hasn’t been submitted after a memorandum of understanding between both IT’s was rejected by the unions in Carlow …” (more)

[Eimear McKeown, WLR FM, 10 October]

“The Presidents of GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT (Connacht-Ulster Alliance) welcome the announcement today (9 October 2019) by the Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, of an increase of over €153 million for tertiary education including a multi-annual fund of €90 million to assist the development and progression of Technological Universities …” (more)

[GMIT, 9 October]

“The merging of CIT and IT Tralee has been officially postponed for at least six months by the Department of Education, the Cork Independent can reveal. Two letters were sent to the staff and students of both colleges on Tuesday. One was from the presidents of the colleges and the other was from Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh …” (more)

[Niamh Aine Ryan, Cork Independent, 2 October]

“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has spoken of his frustration with the protracted progress of the Waterford IT/IT Carlow submission to create a Technological University of the South East (TUSE) …” (more)

[Dermot Keyes, Waterford News and Star, 12 September]

“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says he is very frustrated at the lack of progress in the establishment of a Technological University in Waterford. The application for the TU South East from WIT and IT Carlow has still not been submitted after a memorandum of understanding between both IT’s was rejected by the unions in Carlow …” (more)

[Sinead Aherne, WLR FM, 9 September]

“IT Tralee and CIT are confident the state will cover the remaining integration costs associated with their merger. The Munster Technological University is the planned result of the merger between the Institute of Technology Tralee and Cork Institute of Technology, a process which was first mooted in 2009 …” (more)

[Radio Kerry News, 30 August]

“Investment at campus under Project Ireland 2040 for lecture space, library, offices and upgrade works. The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD has today (Sunday August 11) announced funding of €1.8m towards significant building upgrades at the School of Tourism at Letterkenny IT (LYIT) Killybegs Campus …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 11 August]

“It seems talks to try and resolve problems around the Technological University for the South East are on hold. At the end of June TUI members in IT Carlow voted against an agreement that had been reached at the Workplace Relations Commission. It’s expected talks will resume in September after progress came to a standstill over a month ago …” (more)

[KCLR 96FM, 5 August]

“Then Minister for Education Joe McHugh this week postponed the creation of Ireland’s second technological university until early 2020, alarm bells may have sounded for some in the higher education sector. For others, though, the news that Cork IT and IT Tralee are not yet ready to merge – despite provisional plans to do so this year – will have come as no surprise …” (more)

[University Times, 28 July]

“Government plans to award university status to institutes of technology may prove ‘problematic’ due to a lack of clarity over what constitutes research activity, according to an international panel of academics. The comment is contained in a report which found the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and IT Tralee only partially met the criteria required to secure university status. It is likely the bid will be reconsidered in six months …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 23 July]

“A decision on the long-awaited Munster Technological University, has been set back to early 2020 amid financial concerns and a ‘lack of clear vision and strategy’. A bid by Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) seeking to become Munster’s first technological university ‘leaves questions unanswered regarding the specifics of how the two applicant institutions are to become one’, an independent review has found …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 23 July]

“The creation of a Munster Technological University has been postponed until 2020, amid concerns over the debts of IT Tralee and a ‘lack of clear vision’ for what the new university will look like. An international panel that examined the proposed merger of IT Tralee and Cork IT found a lack of ‘integrated, coherent and effective governance structures’, and said it found ‘questions unanswered’ about ‘how the two applicant institutions are to become one’ …” (more)

[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 22 July]

“Ministers McHugh and Mitchell O’Connor welcome Report of the Independent Review Panel on Munster Technological University (MTU) Application. Ministers note significant progress made by consortium in meeting eligibility criteria. Establishment of MTU key Government priority to deliver on regional development objectives for South-West region under Project Ireland 2040 …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 22 July]

“The Taoiseach says he’s confident the Technological University for the South East can be achieved within the next year. The application from WIT and IT Carlow still has not been submitted. It hit another delay last month when a memorandum of understanding agreed between management at both IT’s and the Teachers Union of Ireland was rejected by union members in Carlow …” (more)

[Sinead Aherne, WLR FM, 18 July]

“A second technological university project has been hit by a wrangle over who picks up the tab for outstanding deficits, debt and certain other costs when colleges merge to form a new entity. The proposed Technological University of the South East (TUSE) involves a merger of the Institute of Technology Carlow (IT Carlow) and Waterford Institute of Technology (Waterford IT) …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 9 July]

“A long-awaited decision on the Munster Technological University (MTU) is expected to be made shortly as an independent report sparks uncertainty over the project. Following a formal application earlier this year, an international panel of experts assessed a bid by Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) to become Munster’s first technological university …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 24 June]

“The proposed merger of Cork IT and IT Tralee into a new technological university has suffered a huge blow, after an international assessment panel sounded the alarm over its financial sustainability …” (more)

[Rachel O’Leary, University Times, 24 June]

“A long-awaited decision on the Munster Technological University (MTU) is expected to be made shortly as an independent report sparks uncertainty over the project. Following a formal application earlier this year, an international panel of experts assessed a bid by Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) to become Munster’s first technological university …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 24 June]

“Plans to create a new technological university for the Munster area have suffered a major setback after an international panel raised concerns over the financial viability of the application. The planned merger of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and IT Tralee into a new Munster technological university would have created one of the country’s largest third-level institutions with more than 18,000 learners …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 24 June]