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June 3, 2020 t: (051) 854 135, waterford-today.ie
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Anger as uni deal turns to ‘debacle’ CONCERN is growing over the delay in establishing a Technological University (TU) for Waterford and the South East. It had been hoped the amalgamation of Waterford and Carlow’s Institutes of Technology would give the South East Ireland’s first TU. But progress has been slow and Waterford has been overtaken by a TU in Dublin and one combining ITs in Cork and Tralee. Waterford Chamber of Commerce has now called on the Government to intervene in “the ongoing debacle”. Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane has written written to the presidents of Waterford and Carlow ITs, asking for an urgent meeting. And a councillor has called on the Public Accounts Committee to summon the governing boards of both ITs and find a way to break the impasse. “Serious sums of public money have been made
The legendary showband star Brendan Bowyer who died in Las Vegas last week. Tributes: Page 2. Picture: Noel Browne
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available to both institutes over recent years to advance this merger and yet we appear to be no further to our goal,” said Cllr Eamon Quinlan . A Bill allowing ITs to combine as universites was first published in 2014. The Waterford/Carlow amalgamation was one of the first mooted but it has been plagued by rivalry between the colleges. Last June, a memorandum of understanding agreed by management at the colleges was rejected by unions in Carlow. Mr Cullinane said the positon was “absolutely unacceptable”. “The presidents of the two institutes need to spell out very clearly what the hold up is and how they are fixing it,” he said. Waterford Chamber called on Finance Minister Paschal Donohue to honour a commitment to intervene. Chamber CEO Gerald Hurley said a strong university was essential to guarantee the future prosperity of Waterford city and the South East.
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