Louth TD welcomes Dundalk IT TUI meeting with Minister
TUI members met and the Minister Harris to discuss Technological University status for DkIT
Louth Labour TD Ged Nash has welcomed the meeting which took place last Friday between Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) lecturers who are members of the institute’s branch of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris
As reported by the Dundalk Democrat last week, the DKIT TUI branch has said that it has “little enough confidence” that the current leadership at DkIT could deliver on achieving Technological University status for the institute and says that “this institute needs new leadership to take us forward.”
In a statement following the meeting last Friday, Deputy Nash said: “Minister Harris agreed to meet the DKIT TUI Branch members at my request. He has agreed to meet with me and branch members again in a few weeks time to again discuss the urgent need for DKIT to progress towards obtaining Technological University status. This is the single most important issue for the social and economic development of Louth and the wider region.
The Louth Labour TD continued, “the constant delays, obfuscation and frankly the paralysis we have experienced in terms of progressing to TU status is unforgivable. Dundalk and Louth has been left behind and it cannot be tolerated. “Each day that passes without TU status is a day wasted.”
Deputy Nash added, “I am in constant contact with the Minister on this pressing issue for our county and with college staff who have done a tremendous job keeping this ambition on the agenda. This is a singular priority for me and there now needs to be a new urgency injected into the process and real leadership shown at local and national level to move this vital project on.”