Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 June 2026
332. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether he is aware of a specific date that either his Department or SETU formally advised the senior management a college (details supplied) that its staff and programs would not be transferring into SETU. [48010/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra333. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science when and the way in which the Minister notify a college (details supplied) following the due diligence process; and at what point was senior management advised to engage with staff. [48011/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra334. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether formal notice given to the CAO that a college (details supplied) would not be in a position to accept students for the coming academic year (2026/27); and if so, when. [48012/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra335. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether an independent valuation was conducted on a college's (details supplied) land and buildings; and the exact terms of the agreement transferring this multi-million-euro asset to SETU [48013/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra336. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the reason and when did his Department decide that Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE) did not apply to a college (details supplied) given that prior press releases strongly implied employees would transfer. [48014/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra337. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his exact understanding was of the original merger plan between SETU and a college (details supplied); and the reason he permitted a total pivot from an active integration to an outright asset liquidation. [48015/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra338. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether a college (details supplied) senior management actively requested that students and staff transfer directly to SETU for the duration of the two-year teach-out phase to guarantee employment and academic security. [48016/26]
Amharc ar fhreagra339. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science whether his Department will commit to full transparency and cooperation with the Freedom of Information (FOI) requests submitted by union representatives regarding the undisclosed MOU (details supplied) [48017/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 332, 333, 334, 335, 336, 337, 338 and 339 together.
I thank the Deputy for his questions on this matter. To set my responses in their full context, I propose to take them together.
As the Deputy will be aware, Carlow College, St. Patrick’s is and has always been a private, autonomous institution outside the publicly funded higher education system. Despite being a private institution, the College has to date received significant support to date by way of a grant in lieu of tuition fees for approved programmes. My department has provided over €3.1 million in student fee supports to Carlow College, which includes an approved uplift in fee supports of €750,000 per annum since 2022.
Following repeated requests for Government assistance, an independent review in 2024 brought to light an increasingly unsustainable financial situation at the College, and it was clear that, without Government intervention, the College was facing the imminent prospect of ceasing operations entirely. The consequences for staff, students, and higher education in the region would have been, I am sure the Deputy will agree, extremely serious.
To avert the disorderly closure of Carlow College, in 2025 the South East Technological University (SETU), in consultation with the Department and as the anchor institution in the region, undertook to engage with the College. An independent mediator was appointed for this purpose. The extensive process of engagement which followed led to detailed due diligence reporting which was finalised and submitted to the two institutions at the start of 2026. This formed the basis for further consultation by the senior management teams with their respective governing bodies.
It is important to recognise, therefore, that the framework agreed has been put forward jointly by the institutions themselves and is the product of extensive and detailed engagement between the parties. Carlow College has been fully involved at all stages of the process.
Mindful of the range of possible outcomes under consideration and the potential impacts for Carlow College staff, I and my officials have consistently emphasised the need for senior management at Carlow College to engage proactively and transparently with staff to ensure that they are fully appraised of the process underway. For example, this was underlined in December 2025, when I wrote directly to the President of Carlow College requesting that he advance engagement with staff as a matter of priority in the month of January, which my department was given to understand was happening.
In my consideration of the proposal put forward, I have at all times prioritised arrangements which provide the best available means of protecting the interests of Carlow College and which create conditions for Carlow College to carry out a fair and transparent process with the staff in their employment.
With regard to the transfer of the College’s land and buildings at the conclusion of current academic programmes in August 2028, which the Deputy has asked about, a significant level of State funding will be provided through the Department to Carlow College in consideration of the transfer of its campus to SETU. This considerable sum, which will be on the basis of an independent valuation, is fully expected to play a central role in the restructuring process, particularly in addressing matters relating to staff. These issues will be progressed appropriately through representative bodies and trade unions.
The Deputy has also asked about the particulars of communications between the CAO and Carlow College with regard to future applications. I must remind the Deputy that until such time as the winding-down of activity is concluded in 2028, Carlow College remains an autonomous institution outside of the public higher education system. During this time the College retains responsibility for academic activities, which includes communication surrounding the availability of academic programmes.
Respect for the autonomy of both Carlow College and SETU has been a consistent principle throughout this engagement process. Both institutions have provided significant resources to analysing and considering a range of options including the potential for integration. The framework agreed however does not make any provision for the absorption of Carlow College or its staff as a private institution into the public system; it is, rather, to support Carlow College through an orderly winding down of its activities over a two-year period. As I have mentioned already, this framework is the direct result of extensive engagement between both parties and was jointly proposed following the consultation of both senior management teams and their governing bodies.
I am of course acutely conscious of the concern this situation has caused to staff, and despite Carlow College being outside my remit as Minister, I have taken steps to engage in as open and transparent a manner as possible. I believe the agreed framework promotes and enables the fair treatment of staff, as well as protecting the interests of students and securing the future use of the campus as an educational facility. I have been advised that formal discussions with staff and staff representatives have been commenced by Carlow College, and that a detailed plan is being progressed, and I fully intend to monitor developments closely as the matter progresses. I can also unreservedly assure the Deputy of my full commitment and that of my department to transparency, including with regard to the FOI request referenced.
