3rd Level College in Ennis

MyKeyG

Wasn't there talk years ago about it being made into an Institute of Technology? Think that would have been a better idea myself. Nothing wrong with a hospital though.

pappyodaniel

Ennis is too close to Limerick/Galway ^^^

An IT would be out of the question.

MyKeyG

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Ennis is too close to Limerick/Galway ^^^

An IT would be out of the question.

I don't agree it should be out of the question because of it's proximity. Hundreds of people are unsuccessful applicants to third level education through both the CAO and mature entry every year.

In the current climate with the jump in numbers choosing to return to full time education I think it would be a good project.

Davyhal

MyKeyG wrote: »

Wasn't there talk years ago about it being made into an Institute of Technology? Think that would have been a better idea myself. Nothing wrong with a hospital though.

If I remember rightly, there was talk that it would become a second campus for Limerick IT... Much along the ways that GMIT has a campus in Castlebar, and NUI Galway has a campus in St. Angela's in Sligo. Then after that I heard that it was going to be NUIG that was going to take it instead. Looks like all those plans are gone out the window now, which is a pity. Our Lady's would make a beautiful campus, and a 3rd Level institution would be a great boost to local business, especially to the pubs, clothes shops etc, as well as help the amount of people in Ennis that own vacant properties that they could rent to students... A private hospital is not as essential at all, what with the Galway Clinic less than an hours drive, and if I remember correctly isn't there supposed to be one opening in Limerick out towards Mungret eventually?

Poxyshamrock

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Ennis is too close to Limerick/Galway ^^^

An IT would be out of the question.

And I think in this day and age, every county should have at least one third level institute.

Isn't Clare one of the few counties in Ireland without one?

MyKeyG

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

And I think this in day and age, every county should have at least one third level institute.

Isn't Ennis one of the few counties in Ireland without one?

Very true! Yet another failure of the Information Age Town farce! You'd think we'd at least have got an IT out of it!

Mr. G

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

pappyodaniel wrote: »

Ennis is too close to Limerick/Galway ^^^

An IT would be out of the question.

And I think in this day and age, every county should have at least one third level institute.

Isn't Clare one of the few counties in Ireland without one?

LIT have a base in Ennis of O'Connell street.

Not a lot of courses to do though.

CptSternn

MyKeyG wrote: »

Very true! Yet another failure of the Information Age Town farce! You'd think we'd at least have got an IT out of it!

Don't start on that sure. They come in, give everyone a computer, yet 2/3rds of the population here have no access to the Internet at the time.

During this same period the FF government install high speed gigabit fibre MANS in a dozen towns around the country, and even today some of these which cost millions to install have yet to be used. Turns out they put them in the main constituencies of high ranking party members, and did not base their selection criteria on things like where they would actually be used and where they would have the most benefit.

We now have small villages in Ireland completed circled with fibre optic high speed networks, networks which also have been wired up to the entire town, yet not one person is using them as not one business in these towns gives a toss about setting up online services in their small rural villages (and why should they?).

It would be like setting one up in the fictional town of Kilnaskully and hoping it would somehow generate a huge influx of online companies. FYI, if you haven't already figured it out, it won't.

Clareman

The thread about Our Lady's turning into a hospital is going a bit off topic and rather than try to get that thread back on topic I thought it would be worth setting up a new thread to discuss this issue as I think it's a very interesting topic

Clareman

In my opinion Ennis doesn't need a third level college, yes it would be a great addition the town, but there are 2 colleges in Galway and 3 in Limerick, that's 5 colleges within an hour, if Ennis was to get a college it would be just getting it for the sake of it really.

Balagan

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

And I think in this day and age, every county should have at least one third level institute.

Isn't Clare one of the few counties in Ireland without one?

Well, there's fine University spilling over into Clare but there's some kind of masonic pact that prevents us from mentioning it!

MyKeyG

Clareman wrote: »

In my opinion Ennis doesn't need a third level college, yes it would be a great addition the town, but there are 2 colleges in Galway and 3 in Limerick, that's 5 colleges within an hour, if Ennis was to get a college it would be just getting it for the sake of it really.

I do have to reiterate though that thousands of people fail in their application to third level institutes. There's no such thing as too many institutes of learning especially when so many people are out of work and are considering returning to education. My friend told me last year that there were 140 spaces available to 2000 applicants in his chosen course. I'm applying this year myself and yer one in the applications office told me that they're introducing a scheme where they recommend optional courses because they know they won't be able to offer the first and second choices. I agree with the poster that said every county should have at least one!

Nevermind_

MyKeyG wrote: »

I agree with the poster that said every county should have at least one!

Well then I'm glad you're not the minister for education.
Think about it logically you want to base the location of third level institutes in Ireland solely based on centuries old arbitrary geographical county borders?
Not based on things like large centres of population or taking into account proximity to already existing institutes and transport links?
In an ideal world yes a third level institute in Ennis would be great for the town and bring in students and life about the town during the week. However back in reality all third level institutions have had budget cuts since the start of the recession and an increase in registration fees as well as the possibility of the reintroduction of 3rd level fees.
There are 6 major universities in Ireland UCD, Trinity, DIT, UCC, UL and NUIG and clare is sandwiched in between two of them which since the roads and rail have been upgraded are now more accessible than ever. Thats before you even take into account GMIT and LIT.
The best Ennis can hope for is maybe to get a department of one of the 4 neighbouring institues someday, but since the country is broke and without serious political clout in Clare I wouldnt hold my breath.
To be honest in the short term I'd settle for a proper hospital first!

Balagan

Nevermind_ wrote: »

....To be honest in the short term I'd settle for a proper hospital first!

To be honest, I'd settle for a proper Tesco!