Dundalk IT’s university status in focus as Louth TD presses minister

The future of Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) was the focus of a recent exchange in the Dáil, where Louth TD Erin McGreehan questioned Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless, on the progression of the institution towards university status.

Deputy McGreehan highlighted the importance of DkIT to the north-east region, both educationally and economically, and expressed her strong ambitions for the institute. She pointed out that DkIT remains the only Institute of Technology (IT) without university status, despite significant progress in recent years.

She referenced the landmark letter of intent signed between DkIT and Maynooth University last June, which confirmed their commitment to joint strategic engagement on future collaborations. “This is a hugely significant and exciting departure for both education bodies. What is the Department doing to support it?” she asked.

Minister Lawless noted that he had met informally with the college’s president and intended to visit the institution more formally in the near future. 

“The institution’s strategic plan for the period 2024 to 2028 sets out an ambition to achieve university status through the development of a strategic collaborative partnership with an existing university,” Minister Lawless continued. He confirmed that DkIT had already received “€3.85 million through the technological sector advancement fund” and that the Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) remained engaged with the institution.

Deputy McGreehan stressed the need to ensure that no regulatory or legal barriers prevent the institution from advancing towards university status. “When the ducks are being put in a row, if regulatory or legal change is needed to ensure the college's status for the future and in order that there will be no blockage from a legal or policy point of view that would prevent DkIT and Maynooth University from collaborating on university status for the former, that change must be made.”

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Minister Lawless responded by clarifying that while no policy barriers were foreseen, a technical issue remained. He explained that the Technological Universities Act 2018 had facilitated the merger of two or more ITs to achieve university status. However, at that time, DkIT’s governing body had not pursued that option. He reassured Deputy McGreehan that the landscape had since evolved, with a new governing board now in place and a renewed engagement with Maynooth University.

“There is great potential in the collaboration that is already progressing with Maynooth University. It makes sense for lots of reasons, including alignment of courses and programmes and geographical factors,” Minister Lawless stated. “The two institutions will very much complement each other. It is already showing itself to be a very productive engagement.”