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]

“Increase includes a multi-annual programme of €90 million for Technological Universities and a new initiative to promote Research Excellence. The Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD today (9 October 2019) announced an increase of over €153 million for tertiary education. This will provide for a wide range of measures to provide greater choice and opportunity to students, meet future skills needs, support student well-being and promote excellence in research …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 9 October]

“The Minister for Education has assured Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) it will not have to take on IT Tralee’s debts in the event that they merge to form a new university for the Munster area. Rising deficits and cashflow problems at IT Tralee have been a key obstacle in the creation of a new Munster Technological University …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 7 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]

“WIT lecturer Dr Ray Griffin talks to Julie Smyth about the upcoming budget, what Paschal Donoghue can do to boost the South East’s economy and why, as an academic working in the region he is frustrated with the Taoiseach’s reported ‘frustration’ regarding the formation of a Technological University for the South East …” (interview)

[Spreaker, 15 September]

“The Government has given €5 million in emergency funding to IT Tralee in order to keep the institution afloat. The Irish Times understands that Kerry’s only third-level institution has been experiencing serious cash-flow problems and faced the possibility of drastic cutbacks or not being able to pay staff …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 18 September]

“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]

“Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to allow technical universities to access borrowing for the provision of purpose built student specific accommodation …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 9 July]