Application for technological university for south-east to proceed

Delays were expected after academic staff at WIT voted against terms for the merger. Picture Denis Scannell

The application for the proposed merger of Waterford Institute of Technology and IT Carlow will go ahead this week as originally planned, a meeting involving college management heard on Monday morning.

Although delays were expected after academic staff at WIT voted against terms for the merger, it is understood that the consortium driving the technological university (TU) project will press ahead and submit the formal application by Friday.

WIT's governing body is to meet on Tuesday and IT Carlow's will meet on Thursday. Following on from Monday's meeting of the joint TU group, it is expected that the application will be submitted on Friday.

According to sources at the meeting, Tom Boland, the executive director of the group, told the remote gathering that the application is on course to be "submitted by the end of the week".

Mr Boland is also understood to have said that he would not be addressing media reports about the staff vote and said that remains a matter for WIT management to resolve.

The weekly meeting was attended by more than 20 people, including both college presidents, the chairs of around a dozen working groups for the merger, and a number of people from the consortium's project office. 

Mr Boland told the Irish Examiner that it was "made clear to the meeting that the making of an application for designation of [the technological university] is a matter for the governing bodies".

Mr Boland was appointed to spearhead the south-east TU project last year amid fears that it was not going to get off the ground. Since then, as part of his work, he has been involved in setting up numerous working groups to bring the colleges closer together academically and structurally.

WIT president Willie Donnelly had earlier expressed his disappointment at the result of the staff vote, while noting that there had been "low turnout", almost half of that two years ago.

The news will likely anger the Teachers' Union of Ireland branch at the college, as they had hoped for time to be given to address unhappiness among some staff.

The branch declined to comment when contacted. In its statement announcing the result last Friday, it cited "treatment of members" serving on TU working groups as well as concerns regarding funding and governance.

When Carlow staff rejected the terms in 2019, the application was withdrawn for a period to allow concerns be addressed among staff. They have now endorsed the memorandum of understanding.

Minister to meet stakeholders

Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has also addressed the result, having been criticised earlier by Waterford Chamber for a "lack of communication" on the project.

A spokeswoman said that the minister notes the ballot of the TUI members and that he will be meeting with stakeholders this week including WIT and Carlow IT.

"He will provide a further update then. The minister remains fully committed to the establishment of this new university for the south-east which he sees as vital for the future economic and social wellbeing of the region.” 

Last Friday's vote was a major reversal from when terms were put to WIT staff in 2019 - on that occasion it was overwhelmingly accepted by 93% of TUI members.

Concerns have been repeatedly aired in Waterford about how the university will take shape post-merger, particularly around the future headquarters.

Some sources believe a 'dual process' may now be pursued, which would see the colleges press ahead with the application while trying to engage with staff.