Higher Education minister says he has no function in Kilkenny university campus issue

The Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has said he has no function in whether or not Kilkenny should be home for a university campus as part of the South East Technological University (SETU).

He was responding to questioning from Kilkenny TD John McGuinness, who asked the reason that there is no clear objective in the South East Technological University Strategic Plan 2023-2028 to deliver a campus in Kilkenny City. It follows the recent publication of that plan, with new campus buildings identified for Waterford, Carlow and Wexford.

Minister Harris said the preparation of a strategic development plan by a TU is entirely a matter for the technological university in question in accordance with the provisions set out in section 18 of the TU Act 2018.

"Neither I as Minister nor my Department has a function in the matter," he said.

"Similarly, the location of any campus is a matter for a TU as an autonomous higher education institution and again neither I nor my Department have any function in this regard. I consider the TU to be as its name indicates, a TU for all in the South East."

Minister Harris said the SETU plan cites as an action to establish a working group, to include Kilkenny County Council and Kilkenny Chamber, 'to explore how SETU can support specific activity based in Kilkenny in a manner that creates beneficial additionality to the TU’s portfolio and is sustainable long-term'.