A Waterford TD has said that the decision on the PPP (Public Private Partnership) bundle when it comes to an Engineering building at SETU is lying on the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform's Desk.
Pascal Donohoe is yet to make a decision according to Waterford Green Party TD Marc O'Cathasaigh.
PPP Bundles allow private institutions to enter into deals with the Government to deliver projects such as housing and education developments.
Speaking to WLR's Damien Tiernan, Deputy O'Cathasaigh said the movement needs to be made when it comes to an engineering building for SETU.
"We need to see that engineering building and see that PPP process lay an egg. I've been told for, I'd say, 12 months and more that that is sitting on Pascal Donohoe's desk awaiting a decision.
"We need to see that over the line. There's not an engineering building in Carlow, but there's another project in Carlow that's funded under this tranche of the public-private partnerships."
"Can you get Minister Pascal Donohoe to move on this?", asked Damien, "I've been speaking to him and the Taoiseach," Deputy O'Cathasaigh responded, "as he was then the Minister of Further and Higher Education.
"We spent a lot of political capital acquiring that Waterford Crystal site. It was absolutely the right thing to do, but as I said to you at the time, we didn't buy it to put wildflowers on it."
Damien then asked, "Any reason why the delay in the engineering building announcement?". Deputy O'Cathasaigh responded, "None that I know of. It's going through a process."
Veterinary Course
The hot topic of a veterinary course being delivered at SETU was also discussed with Deputy Marc O'Cathasaigh, as well as Deputy Matt Shanahan on Déise Today.
One university (UCD) in Dublin hosts the course, with three others competing for the second outside of the capital.
SETU, UL, and the Atlantic Technological University are the contenders to be one of the second universities in the country to have such a course.
However, Deputy Matt Shanahan says other institutes already have a foot in the door.
"My fear is that I have seen a lot of public lobbying going on with both Ministers of Higher Education in recent weeks on social media, particularly in terms of UL. There was a memorandum of understanding signed with a group of vets from the midlands basically stating that UL should get the veterinary school.
"The situation is Damien that SETU was invited along with other universities to make an application to the HEA and the Department of Higher Education to provision a new veterinary school, and people would probably be aware we have an absence of vets in the country. The only school producing vets in the country is UCD.
"This is one of the flagship schools that has been promised to SETU. In fact, Simon Harris, as Minister for Higher Education at the IVERK show, promised that this school would be coming to SETU.
"The College has engaged in a very expensive two-stage process that has been ongoing over the last two years. They have been shortlisted along with the Atlantic Technological University and the UL for consideration of the school."
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