Hanafin denies decision already made on college status

A DECISION whether or not to formally review Waterford Institute of Technology’s claim for university status will be made by the Government in the next few weeks Education Minister Mary Hanafin has insisted, despite opposition claims that she has already decided against it.

The case for a university in the south east was also backed again by Social and Family Affairs Minister and Waterford TD Martin Cullen, who had a heated exchange with Ms Hanafin on the issue at a recent meeting of Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators.

Ms Hanafin said wider policy and the higher education system framework must be central in considering the next steps on WIT’s application, and a similar application for university status made last year by Dublin Institute of Technology.