Higher Education Minister James Lawless has told the Seanad that Carlow College had been operating with a financial deficit for a number of years and could have faced closure without Government intervention.
The Minister said uncertainty surrounding the college’s future needed to be addressed, prompting the Government to provide €2.5 million in additional funding and paving the way for the transfer of the campus to South East Technological University.
Speaking in the Seanad, Minister Lawless said the Government’s approach was guided by four key objectives: protecting the interests of current students, ensuring fair treatment of staff, securing the long-term educational use of the Carlow Town campus, and preserving the heritage and legacy of Carlow College.
He said decisive action and extensive engagement over the past 18 months had helped secure a more sustainable future for the institution and its campus.
