Ninth Level Ireland

“The final steps have been taken for the Munster Technological University (MTU) which is to be established on 1 January 2021. The passing of necessary legislation has ensured that the State’s second Technological University can be established with the merging of the Cork Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Tralee to establish the Munster Technological University on 1 January …” (more)

[Maeve Lee, EchoLive, 25 November]

“An application for technological university status is expected from GMIT, Sligo and Letterkenny, by the end of the year. Last month, €5.7 million was allocated to the Connacht Ulster Alliance consortium in a bid to assist with the application for the designation …” (more)

[Galway Bay FM, 23 November]

“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris today (Monday) welcomed the application to establish a new technological university in the Midlands and Mid-West from Athlone Institute of Technology and Limerick Institute of Technology …” (more)

[gov.ie, 23 November]

“The young people of Waterford should ‘accept no less’ than a commitment on behalf of the Government to adequate funding of the TUSE project, Green Party TD Marc Ó Cathasaigh has said. Speaking in the Dáil on Thursday 19 November, Mr Ó Cathasaigh said the Technological University for the South East is a ‘project so important in terms of balanced regional development’ that it is specifically referenced twice within the Programme for Government and that is must receive adequate funding going forward …” (more)

[Jade Wilson, Waterford News and Star, 19 November]

“Delighted to hear about the prospect for a cross border university, what stage is that issue currently at and how will it proceed? The establishment of a technological university (TU) in the north-west is being advanced through the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA) TU development consortium composed of Letterkenny Institute of Technology, Galway Mayo IT and IT Sligo …” (more)

[IFUT, 13 November]

“The Munster Technological University is to be established on January 1, 2021, Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has confirmed. MTU is a merging of the Institute of Technology Tralee and Cork Institute of Technology and is the second technological university in the State …” (more)

[Roisin Burke, EchoLive, 12 November]

“The State’s current policy on student accommodation and housing is ‘not working’, according to the Minister for Further and Higher Education. Simon Harris was speaking to the Oireachtas education committee with Minister of State Niall Collins to discuss the establishment of the Munster Technological University (MTU) …” (more)

[Jess Casey, BreakingNews.ie, 12 November]

“… Waterford is being fobbed off with Tech Uni designation, despite being the only city in the country without a university. Fine Gael has, since 2008, evaded their electoral promises and through chronic underfunding, undermined WIT at almost every turn. It is clear in the recent funding announcements that there is a huge government / political / Fine Gael / HEA effort to big up IT Carlow and suppress WIT. These funding announcements also make it very clear that the TU process will not produce a real university in our region …” (more)

[Waterford News and Star, 10 November]

“Perhaps channelling Fleetwood Mac, the Labour Party locally has taken a brave and interesting position in advocating for Waterford Institute of Technology to set a deadline on talks or ‘go its own way’ and seek to become a standalone University …” (more)

[Richard Finnegan, 25 October]

“Michael Lowry (Tipperary, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his objectives and plans to grant technological university status further to an application by Athlone Institute of Technology and Limerick Institute of Technology; his views on the application which will incorporate the satellite campuses of Thurles and Clonmel, County Tipperary; the budget available to implement plans for this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil debates, 20 October]

“Last week the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, announced funding of €34.33m to higher education institutions to help them in their progression towards Technological University status. The fund is being allocated under the 2020 Higher Education Authority (HEA) call to assist the development and progression of technological universities …” (more)

[Waterford News and Star, 13 October]

“Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) president Dr Barry O’Connor wants progress on the National Broadband Plan to ensure that students and lecturers in rural areas can participate in e-learning and can access online resources. Dr O’Connor praised the Department of Education and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for providing funding to combat the pandemic and support learning during the lockdown …” (more)

[Darragh Bermingham, EchoLive, 8 October]

“The announcement of €5.1m funding for the Technological University of the South East of Ireland (TUSEI) project has been welcomed by the presidents of Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) and Institute of Technology Carlow (IT Carlow). The TUSEI project had applied to the multi-annual Technological Universities Transformation Fund (TUTF) for funding support in respect of the costs arising in working towards designation as a technological university, in line with the Technological Universities Act 2018 …” (more)

[Claire Quinn, Waterford News and Star, 7 October]

“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, has today (7 October 2020) announced funding of €34.33m to higher education institutions to help them in their progression towards Technological University status …” (more)

[Maura O’Shea, HEA, 7 October]

“Institutes of technology say they need €136m in State funding next year as the first slice of a three-year investment package of €534m. The Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) makes the case in a pre-Budget submission highlighting the critical role of the sector in regional development, in addressing disadvantage and in lifelong learning …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 28 September]

“An objective has been set out this week to establish the Technological University of the South East on 1 January 2022. The chairpersons of the governing bodies and the presidents of both Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology this week announced the objective in a briefing note to business and other community leaders …” (more)

[Suzanne Pender, Carlow Nationalist, 26 September]

“The chairpersons of the governing bodies and the presidents of Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow have announced their objective that the Technological University of the South East of Ireland (TUSEI) will be established on January 1, 2022 …” (more)

[Dylan White, Waterford Live, 23 September]

“Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the fact that Dundalk IT is the only institute of technology not to have formally linked into a consortium to obtain technological university status; the actions his Department and the HEA will take to advance technological university status for Dundalk IT; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 10 September]

“IT Tralee says it’s engaging with the TUI to address a number of concerns. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland raised a number of issues in April, a month before the former Minister of Education approved the merger of IT Tralee and CIT …” (more)

[Radio Kerry, 10 September]

“Verona Murphy (Wexford, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for the amalgamation of Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology to form the Technological University for the South East Ireland …” (more)

[Dáil debates, 9 September]