Sinn Féin wants to put Carlow at the back of the class

Fine Gael Carlow TD, Pat Deering, has criticised Sinn Féin for what he says is the attempted exclusion of Carlow from a significant educational advancement for the South East, the new Technological University for the South East (TUSE).

“The South East region is going to benefit hugely from the planned new Technological University and I am working to ensure that the whole region, including Carlow plays a full part in this.

“It would seem however that Sinn Féin wants to put Carlow at the back of the class, looking to exclude the county from this new University development.

“David Cullinane is advocating that the centre of the new campus be based in Waterford which would significantly disadvantage Carlow. I wonder how Cullinane’s Sinn Féin colleagues in the Carlow/ Kilkenny constituency feel about his position on the matter and if they have raised it with him?

“The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, published in January 2011, recommended the consolidation of the Institute of Technology sector and creation of a small number of multi-campus technological universities. As local people will know, the Technological University for the South-East (TUSE) project consists of a consortium of the Institute of Technology Carlow (ITC) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT).

“I don’t want to see either of the two colleges disadvantaged with this merger. There is no reason at all to make the Waterford based campus the main centre; this would significantly disadvantage Carlow in terms of attracting students.

“As the local Fine Gael TD I will continue to work with my colleagues in Government to ensure that Carlow is treated equally in this important merger, and that the Carlow based campus for the University has as high a status as the Waterford campus.”