“Sir, – Matthew Glover suggests in his letter of January 10th that the push for university status in some areas is ‘driven by managers and staff seeking improved prestige and pay’ …” (more)
[Des Griffin, Irish Times, 12 January]
“Sir, – Prof Neil Robinson of the University of Limerick (Letters, January 4th) refers to university legislation containing ‘Trinity-specific provisions’. He asks, ‘why is the legislation not requiring all universities to adopt Trinity’s governance structures if they are so above reproach?’ …” (more)
[Letters, Irish Times, 10 January]
“Sir, – I note with curiosity the recent rebranding of almost all hospitals in the country as university hospitals. Doubtless due to copying an international trend, presumably it is merited on the basis of a formal connection to a university and that university-level teaching, learning and research occur there …” (more)
[Conor Mooney, Irish Times, 7 January]
“Ireland will have seen five new universities established between the start of 2019 and the end of 2022. But in a relatively small country that already had eight universities, do we really need 13 in total?…” (more)
[Peter McGuire, Irish Times, 21 December]
“Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the suggestion that Dundalk Institute of Technology can achieve university designation as a standalone institute outside the framework of the Technological Universities Act 2018 given that the institute is not partnered with another institute of technology or technological university; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 23 November]
“Some years ago during a few days in Bologna Italy, home since 1096AD to the oldest university in the world, I was privileged to see in its ancient library a copy of the 1662AD work of Robert Boyle, from Lismore. A university is for ever a piece of educational infrastructure, vital to the wellbeing of any city. Waterford has sought university designation for over 80 years without success …” (more)
[Waterford News and Star, 9 March]
“The Chairman of the Piltown Municipal District has re-tabled a curiosity expressed by many stakeholders on both sides of the River Suir when it comes to the provision of third level education in the South East. Speaking at the conclusion of the District’s March meeting, Cllr Eamon Aylward (FF) stated: …” (more)
[Dermot Keyes, Waterford News and Star, 8 March]
“The case for a university in Waterford is eons old. Waterford was a large rich trading city in the 1840’s and was the natural location for a NUI university, along with Cork and Dublin. Hansard, the official transcript of the UK parliament, indicates the university was moved to Galway as Waterford’s leading political families were associated with Napoleon …” (more)
[Waterford News and Star, 19 January]
“The €110 million funding breakthrough for the North Quays development delivered some badly needed pre-Christmas cheer for the people of Waterford. Combined with the prospect of a Covid-19 vaccine, it opens up all sorts of possibilities in 2021 at the end of what’s been the ultimate annus horribilis …” (more)
[Richard Finnegan, 26 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]
“Ever since I was a child, I have listened to politicians talk about a University for Waterford and for the region. For decades, the demand for educational equality for the South East has fallen on deaf ears. Moves championed as one step forward in reality were two steps back …” (more)
[David Cullinane, Waterford News and Star, 8 August]
“The Labour Party in Waterford is calling for a time limit to be put on the Technological University for the South East (TUSE). Alternatively, Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) alone should be encouraged to establish a Waterford University under the Universities Act 1997 …” (more)
[Waterford Live, 6 July]
“While admitting to feeling ‘a little let down’ in the wake of last week’s Munster Technological University (MTU) announcement, WIT President Willie Donnelly has told staff: ‘We have earned the title of University’ …” (more)
[Dermot Keyes, Waterford News and Star, 31 May]
“Fine Gael’s decade long policy of frustrating the emergence of a university in Waterford might be at an end. It was a crafty master-stroke to snarl up the future of WIT in a car-crash merger with Carlow …” (more)
[Waterford News and Star, 7 April]
“In December, the Education Minister Joe McHugh tweeted a picture from his office with the message, ‘Sign-off. Putting pen to paper on university status for @RCSI_Irl after a 235-year history’. It was a signature moment for RCSI, which could finally call itself a university in Ireland after years of lobbying. It had met the criteria under a new legal process …” (more)
[Catherine Reilly, Medical Independent, 17 February]
“The Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) has been formally authorised to use the title of ‘university’ for the first time in 235 years. The institution is to describe itself as ‘RCSI university of medicine and health sciences’ in future …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 10 December]
“Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD and Minister of State with responsibility for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD today (10 December 2019) announced that the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) has been authorised to use the title of university in Ireland …” (more)
[Department of Education and Skills, 10 December]
“Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application by Sligo Institute of Technology for university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 21 November]
“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]
“More than 200 years after it started training surgeons, the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) is set to become a university following passage of reforming education legislation. The legislation increases the powers of the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) the agency which has responsibility for quality and qualifications in further and higher education …” (more)
[Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times, 11 July]
