It was reported last year that SETU contributed €1 billion to the Irish economy. It may come as no surprise then that the South East Technological University was highlighted by the Minister for Further and Higher Education as an example of the TU system’s success.
Minister Lawless made the comments in reply to Clare TD Donna McGettigan, who raised a recent academic report which claimed that the TU system was failing.
According to TD McGettigan: “They concluded that the Irish TU project has been characterised by financial pressure, the death of regional provision in higher education, mission drift and confused policymaking, and that it has failed to meet any key targets.”
Minister Lawlor pushed back against these serious claims saying the report had not been peer reviewed and pointing to SETU as an example of a TU institution on the cutting edge of new technologies.
“The TU sector on the whole has been an enormous success,” he explained.
“We now have TUs up and down the country. We have regional universities in Letterkenny, Tralee and Waterford, places which never had university status before. There are many other locations as well. It is exciting for those regional areas and towns and their hinterlands.
“I mentioned the veterinary course in ATU. That means that we now have veterinary students coming through from Donegal, Sligo and the north west who do not have to travel to Dublin or, even worse, Poland for their professional education.”
An SETU course in Veterinary Medicine is due to commence in September 2026.
“I was in Waterford recently launching the new SEAM lab, which is a material science facility as part of SETU,” continued Minster Lawless. “It will engage in exciting, leading-edge and enterprise-focused research.
“In respect of reviews, spending controls etc. the HEA has commissioned a review of both the technological university transformation fund, TUTF, and the technological sector advancement fund, TSAF.
“There are reports under way,” he added.
AARON KENT Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme
