Over €1m euro has been announced for the South East Technological University Project.

The Higher Education Authority says it has allocated €1.5m in funding after it received a joint application by Carlow and Waterford Institutes of Technology.

The ITs hope to form a new University for the south east of the country.

They say the funding will allow them develop a new plan for the project.

Both Chairs and Presidents welcomed the allocation of funding and stated that the funding was a vote of confidence in the South East TU process by the HEA Board.

The two South East Institutes are committed to delivering a university of international standing for the region in support of economic and social development and this investment by the HEA will help advance this process.

It is imperative that the legislation required to enable the creation of the Technological University is also enacted to enable the creation of a university for the South East.