SETU: Pharmacy course, Engineering building

Marc Ó Cathasaigh TD

Waterford is unique among the five cities in Ireland for not having a stand-alone university. Other cities have a university and a technological university. The reality is SETU, or WIT as it was, has had to play that role within the region. We made a promise to the people of Waterford, and the wider south east, that SETU will be a university of scale and of substance. We had a very positive decision about the veterinary course that was announced recently. We are still awaiting a decision about the pharmacy course, for which we have a very strong bid in. We are also awaiting for many long years a final decision on the capital funding of the engineering building in Waterford. These are critical. This is the litmus test in terms of whether we are serious about this being a university for the south east. I ask the Minister where we are in respect of those decisions.

Minister Jack Chambers

As a Government TD, the Deputy will be aware of the unprecedented investment in education, healthcare and wider supports for the Waterford and south-east region. There was a positive result when it came to the veterinary college and I know from speaking to the Minister, Deputy Butler, and others that there is ongoing engagement when it comes to further supports or broadening out the education provision for the south-east region. I will ask the Minister, Deputy O’Donovan, to update the Deputy on what further progress will be made over the coming period.