Louth TD queries progress on TU status for Dundalk IT in Dáil

Louth TD, Fergus O'Dowd, queried the progress being made on achieving Technological University (TU) status for Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) in the Dáil this week, asking Minister Simon Harris, to report on the advice and support services that the Higher Education Authority is providing to DkIT in order to progress technological university status designation.

In response the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Simon Harris, said that HEA special advisor, Dr. Ruaidhri Neavyn, has engaged with DkIT in the development of a plan to progress towards meeting the TU eligibility criteria stipulated under the Technological Universities Act 2018. 

The Minister went on to say that Dr. Neavyn has assisted DkIT in "imagining its future vision and contribution to a TU which has been used to engage stakeholders and any potential partner TU and he has assisted the Institute in engaging such stakeholders and contributed to its approach to engaging with TUs."

He added that Dr. Neavyn has in the course of providing assistance to DkIT, met with appropriate groupings and stakeholders on an ongoing basis and participated in DkIT's TU related meetings including TU steering group meetings, governing body or relevant sub-committee meetings and leadership team meetings.

The Minister concluded by saying that "given that Dundalk Institute of Technology will need to demonstrate an ability to achieve the TU eligibility criteria metrics in order to achieve its ambition, and given the network of TUs established and in view, it is more likely the Institute’s ambition to be part of a multi-campus TU will de facto require to be considered under section 38 of the 2018 TU Act which provides for the merger of an Institute of Technology with an existing TU.

"The Department and HEA will continue to support as appropriate the Institute in seeking to achieve TU status."