Reaction to the Hunt Report - No Second Class Solutions Acceptable!

The Mayor of Waterford Councillor Mary Roche has issued a statement commenting on the recent leaks from the National Strategy Group for Higher Education chaired by Dr Colin Hunt. The leaks claim that the group has rejected WIT’s case for University Status and will instead offer the entire sector the prospect of designation as ‘Technology Universities’ once stringent criteria have been met.

Councillor Roche states “The City of Waterford and the South East Region will speak once the Hunt Report is published. However, what we expect from the Hunt Report is nothing less than the ability of WIT – under whatever name or designation – to be able to deliver equality for this region. We will not accept anything that keeps us in the second tier and importantly would not deliver the same operating structure and autonomy as full University status.

We insist that WIT must have the remit to deliver inward investment into this region and the same capacity for research, development and innovation as every other region. The South East Region, more than any other needs that capacity to be unleashed.

“How many jobs,” asks Mayor Roche “have been lost to this City and this region as a result of the Governments’ prevarication on this issue? How many more will be lost if the Hunt Report doesn’t deliver? I want to send out a clear signal that we expect the Hunt Report to deliver nothing less than equality in terms of autonomy and finance for WIT – after that they can call the Institution whatever they like. The name is not important it is equality of opportunity for the region, for the city and for future generations that we demand.

Essentially if we are driving with the same engine it doesn’t matter that the bodywork might have a new coat of paint. I would urge the Government to take careful note of this message and not to attempt to deliver anything less for Waterford and the South East, ” she said.