Education and industrial circles in Waterford and throughout the south east were jubilant last night following the announcement by the Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin, that £12 million funding has been approved for a major development of facilities at Waterford Institute of Technology.
The announcement clears the way for work to proceed on the construction of an extensive new library and information technology building which will transform the physical face of the Waterford campus.
Clearance has also been given for the appointment of a design team for a proposed new tourism and CERT facility at WIT, which now caters for almost 5,000 full-time and 3,500 part-time students.
The funding package represents the largest investment in WIT since its foundation and has been welcomed locally as signalling a Government commitment to the further development and upgrading of the institute, which has grown rapidly in size and status over the last decade.
In 1982 the Waterford campus was ranked as an RTC and had no degree students. Today some 40 per cent of its students are on degree level courses and it has more than 120 postgraduate students at master and doctorate level.
The Minister has also asked the WIT authorities to prepare a 10year programme of development for the campus so that a start can be made to the planning of other projects there.
Yesterday's announcement ends a year-long period of political controversy and agitation over the status of the college and its access to the necessary funding to reinforce its growth as a third-level degree-awarding institution.
The upgrading of Waterford RTC to an Institute of Technology was announced by the previous minister for education, Ms Niamh Breathnach, in January last year. Rejoicing over that faded a few months later to disappointment and recriminations when it was announced that all other RTCs would also be eligible for upgrading.
Major industrialists in the south-east joined Waterford Chamber of Commerce and other groups in calling for adequate funding and legal status for WIT to enable it to respond to regional requirements for specialised industry services.
The WIT controversy became a major election issue in the constituency, and Fianna Fail candidates undertook to support WIT's effort to achieve its own legislative base and degree-awarding status.
A voluntary campaign group, the Waterford University Action Group, has lobbied for almost ten years for the provision of a university-level institution in the city.
An independent report - the Sexton Report - confirmed that there was a serious shortfall in the availability of degree places in the south-east. Last night the secretary of the campaign group, Mr Oliver Clery, said: "It has been a wonderful day for everyone concerned with equality of education for our children."
The process of assessing WIT for the purpose of permitting it to award its own degrees is currently under way.