It's simple, Minister Hanafin - It's FAB!

So Mary Hanafin is re-iterating once again at the so-called FF mini-think in at the Forum yesterday that WIT already has everything it needs? Ah me. Mini think in is right. Mini ideas; mini leadership; mini understanding.

Let me explain (again) to the Minister why WIT needs equality (nothing more). It's FAB! Finance; Autonomy; Branding. Simple enough for Mary? Yes. Just remember FAB.

Finance - because yes, as the Minister says, WIT is an extra-ordinary Institution with Awarding Authority up to and including PhD level. Problem? WIT is carrying out that mission with FAR less funding than all the Universities and even many of the other ITs. Institute of Technology Funding isn't based on anything. Not a per student payment. It's just historical. There is no fair yard stick. If you were always well funded, you continue to be and if you were historically badly funded - then you continue to be. So we are being treated unequally on the finance front with every other region in Ireland - and don't forget that outside of Dublin, the South East is the largest REGION in the country without a University at almost half a million people.

Autonomy - so that WIT can make its' own decisions and chart its' own course designed for this region without having to go cap-in-hand to the HEA (Higher Education Authority) for permission to run courses, change direction, respond to regional needs. Universities are autonomous. WIT and the South East needs that too. Why should we accept that our region not have the decision making power of every other region.

Branding - because yes the word 'University' does matter. It is an internationally recognised brand that allows the world understand instantly what you are. But alone, the branding would mean nothing. The name is important but we should be fighting for what the word means - equality of treatment and funding - rather than just for the word itself. If it were just a word we could have simply bought ourselves a new sign and gone out and rebranded years ago. We want what the other regions have Mary. What is so wrong with that? (That's why I am concerned about the leaks from the Hunt Report which allege that we are to be given some second class branding without any equality!)

I bet if Mary was still living down in Tipperary she'd be far more supportive of our bid than she is up in Dublin with their extremely well provided for University Sector. What's sauce for them up in the Capital is obviously too good for us down here in the South East!

Well I for one have had enough of Mary, and of Fianna Fail and of their 'we know better than you' pomposity. I am heartily sick of them. Go to the country Mary I say. You and your merry band and see what the thinking people of Ireland think of you.

People of Waterford and the South East: how will we get our University? By voting Fianna Fail out of power. Bring it on!