Waterford University discussion

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966503#Comment_121966503

No

914

Interestingly Covney put a stop to the boundary extension as at the time he had his sights on the leadership of FG and would have lost the KK support it it proceeded.

Covney is now also stepping down. Can can you fight that issue or hold him accountable?

He put personal gains ahead of economical gains, and now he's done, no harm done eh!

The sooner FG are eradicate from Waterford the better.

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121966503#Comment_121966503

What are the expectations around a TU Vet School? Is the expectation a full veterinary school or a vet nursing program? The investment required to build a full vet school and a tertiary vet hospital is massive.

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121968771#Comment_121968771

I wouldn't be surprised if UL get it and one or two TU's but the TU's won't be full on vet school.

Do X time in TUs and complete the rest in UL or something like that.

griffin100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121971397#Comment_121971397

My understanding was that UL were getting the new vet school. I can't imagine that students, especially those from outside of the EU will want to move between institutions every few years. Vet nursing seems to be well covered off by other TU's.

914

Fairly grim listening to this, just proving a lot of our concerns and thoughts are playing out.

https://www.wlrfm.com/podcasts/deise-today/ray-griffin-setu-deise-354991

imacman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121999096#Comment_121999096

Not to blow our own trumpets but if you look back through this thread over the last 7 or 8 years you will see all the TU concerns Ray has mentioned about the process just being a rebrand and no funding or borrowing plan from the government mentioned over and over here. The TU concept was a terrible idea from day one back in 2011 and it has turned out exactly as so many have predicted.

invara

The new Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science- Patrick O'Donovan was on WLR this morning, a little after 10am for the keen.

A significant interview because DT opened the university discussion by asking about the 2011 FG promise for a full university, first time I have heard a senior FG person asked about it. O'Donovan batted it away, first day in the Dept., has not been briefed. DT countered a little while later by reminding the Minister it was not a Govt promise, rahter was rather a FG election promise.

At some stage, I hope the media pressure brings Govt to address the issue. The zilch track record is there for all to see- new buildings (5 at stage gate 2, PPP), new disciplines (vet/pharmacy/teacher training), new lecturer contract incl. professoriate, student accommodation and borrowing framework. Hopefully this Minister will address the TU with some positive action.

spaceCreated

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122007092#Comment_122007092

The likely reason you didn't hear any education minister asked about it is because Simon Harris avoided going on wlr and talking ton DT despite many many requests. IIRC Dt even asked Simon's brother about Simon coming on when he was on air with him. Meanwhile Harris was touring around Kilkenny and Wexford and making vague promises there also… that have yet to be delivered… funny how that happens to everywhere in the South East.

The whole thing is a joke, everything in UCC, NUIG, UCD, etc. etc. is railroaded through yet we have a constant repeat of promises and holdups. They'd want to deliver a lot more than starting an engineering building that was promised nearly 2 decades ago now before the next election.

Cummins can trumpet this promise, that promise and the other promises all he like, but surely even he realises that his party are giving him sweet fk all to work with while every other td hopeful is being handed 10s if not 100 of millions to buy votes in their areas.

azimuth17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122007619#Comment_122007619

Without the new engineering building starting John Cummin is toast.

Everything, across the whole city in third level education, hospital, IDA jobs etc all delayed or never come at all to an almost unbelieveable extent. I just dont get it. When you read that its nearly two decades since anything new was built at WIT, you find yourself saying, "this cannot be true". But it is. Why for fk sake?

As you say, by this stage John Cummins doesn't even understand why things are so difficult here.

spaceCreated

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122007748#Comment_122007748

Even with the 'new' engineering building he will be toast to anyone who cares abut 3rd level education, it doesnt even keep things in the status quo after years upon years of underfunding, how and why they found the money to buy land when the WIT already had plenty is beyond me. Why he would think kitting out an old building with new flats for massive money would buy him votes is also beyond me.

I'm just waiting for Fine Gael and Fine Fail to roll in to town and take credit for the buy a brick campaign for the Dunmore Wing.

Speaking of politicians I'm waiting on David Cullinane to drag the president of UCC in front of the camera and the whole country like he did for the president of the WIT a few years back. UCC has literally overrun its budget by 112 million in the last financial year alone. But hey the former WIT president used a taxi!

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122008076#Comment_122008076

They will sell the crystal site as government development.

You can already hear Cummins stating "as the government have delivered a University for Waterford, we have no unlocked the private development for the crystal site"

No doubt we'll see pictures of them standing outside the crystal site pre election. They might as well stand outside a Frisby housing development.

Not one of them have answered me when I have questioned the viability of the new innovation Centre and how that would effect arclabs/Carriganore.

The crystal site while very welcome, if we see non private development there (SETU development) it will most likely be rearranging the pieces (relocating arclabs, good Shephard's campus etc).

azimuth17

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122008076#Comment_122008076

David Cullinane should be toast as well for his absolutely disgraceful silence on SETU Waterford and on local issues in general. 20,000 people elected him and now he never opens his mouth about the things that affect them. He abandoned them.

Hopefully he and his party get a kicking to remind him that "all politics are local".

spaceCreated

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122008482#Comment_122008482

Yep, can see them now "look at the new parking spaces and the engineering building plot to be finished in 2032. Also look at the new student accommodation (that could've been a big revenue stream for the college but is now a big revenue stream for Frsiby's), we're so good at spending your tax money"

spaceCreated

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122008589#Comment_122008589

Yep its nuts, but I guess when one of the most important people in his life is a TD for kilkenny thats who hes looking out for.

914

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122008589#Comment_122008589

I 100% his attitude at 3rd level education in Waterford has been shocking, from dragging the former management through the mud (despite of being found of no wrong doing) and rolling in behind SETU, that said at present he is Waterford's only chance of a full minister.

I am no fan of FG either but Paudie Coffeey had the potential of a full minister and we shot ourselves in the foot there.

When it comes to elections the only vote worth having in Waterford is voting for the possibility of a full minister, it's clear to see the lack of development due to not having someone at the table.

Deiseen

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122008796#Comment_122008796

Losing Paudie Coffey was the beginning of the end in all of this.

And that's coming from someone who cannot stand Fine Gael.

invara

https://www.clare.fm/news/higher-education-minister-opens-new-state-art-coonagh-campus-tus/

Jan O'Sullivan, Minister for Ed's gift to limerick, opened by the new limerick Minister for higher ed.

Dunmoreroader

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122068789#Comment_122068789

"This project is being delivered under Project Ireland 2040 which recognises that investment in education is central to achieving a strong, future-proofed economy, balanced across the regions."

• Do we laugh at this or cry? I'm going with laugh 🤣

azimuth17

Im going with anybody but Fine Gael. The politics of SETU and third level investment in this region is awful.