“The diagnosis is done, it is now time to implement the remedy”
Speaking at conferring ceremonies in Limerick, the President of LIT has welcomed the publication of the Financial Review of the Institutes of Technology and called for the immediate implementation of actions to support the Technological Education sector.
Addressing 1700 graduates in diverse areas ranging from fashion design to marketing and from engineering and construction, Professor Vincent Cunnane, President of LIT stated, “It must be said that there is a stark reality at the heart of this review. It clearly demonstrates serious under-funding of Higher Education in Ireland, and points to a set of actions which must be undertaken to address the situation.
“Despite the ingenuity and commitment demonstrated by the sector in recent years, the inescapable conclusion is that the prompt implementation of these actions is absolutely critical if the Higher Education sector is to deliver the skilled graduates necessary to sustain the growth in jobs that we have recently seen.
“For our part, we in LIT will work with government, the HEA and other stakeholders to achieve this end. We in the Mid-West have turned a corner, and we simply must act now to keep on this course.
“LIT has invested in our capital infrastructure, our stock of industry-standard equipment and facilities to ensure that our graduates have practical experience at the cutting edge. This was challenging in times when state investment in Higher Education has dried up completely.
“We have also been able to navigate many of the challenges facing higher education in Ireland by prudent management of our finances over the last number of years.
“This has meant that we are not now subject to the severe financial difficulties besetting some areas of the higher education sector in Ireland. However, the longer this funding situation remains unresolved the less able the Irish Higher Education system will be to cater for the state’s needs, including the demands of our population to progress to Higher Education.
“The reality is that the core challenges identified in the report are the same as those identified in the Cassells report last July, among others.
“It is fair to say that the diagnosis of the issues facing Higher Education in Ireland is now done, and we must move without delay to implementing the remedy. It is therefore of absolute importance that the actions set out in this report are implemented without further delay. This includes new capital provisions and the new stability fund.
“If these actions are carried out, then LIT will be able to greatly strengthen its role as a generator of economic activity and employment for Limerick and the Mid-West. This will benefit students, their families, communities, the region and Ireland as a whole.
“Our strategy is underpinned by capital investment in key projects that include our new Coonagh campus which supports growth in engineering as well as interconnected large-scale developments in the city centre. These investments act as central elements of the ambitious Limerick 2030 plan.”
In the report from the Higher Education Authority a warning is issued that third level institutes all over Ireland are vulnerable or at risk of being in a vulnerable financial position. It flags the need for a significant capital investment and highlights the difficulties faced by institutes in trying to generate alternative income streams.