Third Level Education
Dail Éireann — 2025-12-11
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James Lawless (FF), Kildare North

I thank the Deputy for that. Discussions are ongoing and intensifying between the two institutions. My Department and I remain in close contact with both institutions. From the early stages, I indicated my full and strong support and shared ambition to develop and progress this partnership. My understanding is the institutions intend to sign heads of agreement this month. This is happening now; it is not an abstract, down-the-road initiative. I am particularly pleased and supportive of this. I communicated to the colleges that it was my wish that this progress with pace. The engagement will continue into the new year in 2026.
There are a number of toll gates we will go through. I expect to be in a position to bring legislation before the House at that stage. There are some technical details that we need to work through. It is important to restate that DkIT will remain within the existing legal and governance frameworks, remaining an active part of our technological and higher education system. There are some alignments that need to be made there but the proposal is certainly moving in the right direction and going well.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2025-12-11/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-27T06:54:48+00:00
Sitting date: 2025-12-11