University status for IT ‘should be election issue’

VOTERS being canvassed by politicians over the coming months should make university status for Waterford Institute of Technology an election issue, a business leader says.

The employers’ group IBEC has now added its support to the ongoing campaign for a university in the south-east. An application for WIT’s upgrade was sent to the Department of Education and Science by the college at the beginning of the year.

IBEC Regional Director John Farrell says securing a university should made a key general election issue in Waterford and throughout the south-east.

“As various platforms are developed in advance of the next general election, IBEC south-east wishes to emphasise the crucial importance of a university for the future economic and social progress of the region.

“We are all concerned at the apparent lack of progress in the application of WIT for university status. There is widespread agreement in the business community and more broadly across civil society on this issue.

“The region is over-reliant on traditional industry sectors and needs the catalyst of a university to develop in sectors, which will provide the jobs in the future,” he argued.

Mr Farrell pointed to recent Central Statistics Office figures on household income showing that the south-east is once again under-performing economically, and maintained this was unlikely to change unless a university was secured for the region.

“This position is unlikely to change substantially unless the region can participate in the next phase of development, which will be led by new economy industries such as biopharma and financial services.

“For this to happen, it is essential that the region has a university,” he argued, adding that it was also a necessary support for the region’s existing industries in their efforts to research and develop new products.

A Department of Education spokesperson responded that WIT’s submission seeking university status remains under consideration.

“There is a very detailed statutory review process required prior to the designation of any new university and there are significant wider issues that need to be considered in progressing that,” said the spokesperson.