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.

She is examining both options with her Government colleagues and expects a decision on the recommendations in the Port Report on WIT in the coming weeks.

“While the report’s focus is specifically on the Waterford application, it also provides a useful analysis of the context in which any application must be considered,” she said.

But Wexford Fine Gael TD Michael D’Arcy expressed disappointment in the Dáil that she had the report for eight or nine months before publishing it yesterday.

“I can only describe the report as a political manoeuvre to get over the 2007 general election,” he said of the report which was commissioned in November 2006.

“I was speaking to my friends on the Fianna Fáil back benches about the little one-to-one she had with Deputy Cullen and it is said she is not in favour of WIT being upgraded to a regional university,” said Mr D’Arcy.

His constituency and party colleague Paul Kehoe said the minister does not want to make a decision, but that she has her own view.

Ms Hanafin said she understands the great demand in the area but that neither she or the Cabinet designate universities.

The Government can order a statutory review which is given to the Higher Education Authority, which in turn makes a recommendation back to Government for decision.

“A process must be undergone with regard to academic criteria and all the other criteria set on the context of policy.

My views do not matter in this regard. The power to designate a third level institution is no longer the power of the minister and this is as it should be,” she told the Dáil.

Mr Cullen said last night that the case for a university of the southeast has been made and the momentum and impetus is unstoppable.

“The issue that remains to be finalised is one of process which I am confident can be satisfactorily resolved with good co-operation,” he said.