FUSE Newsletter 06 April 2008

Dear Friends,

What an exciting time it has been since we last spoke! The case for the South East university has been making the mainstream media with increasing frequency and the number of supporters for the case are increasing day by day.

Last Monday the massive 3-day event leading up to Leinster House, started with the relay run leaving Waterford City towards Kilkenny. On Monday afternoon the run passed through Kilkenny where runners were greeted by the Mayor, Marie Fitzpatrick, who posed for photos and gave her support for the campaign. The run then left Kilkenny and went on to Leighlinbridge. On Tuesday the run passed through Carlow and on into Wicklow, along the N81 finally reaching Dublin at about 1930h. Finally, on Wednesday afternoon the run finished its last leg when top sportsmen, Ken McGrath and Michael "Brick" Walsh took the baton and completed the last leg of the journey to Leinster house where a petition and letter signed by top Irish figures was handed over to the chief usher of the Dáil.

Meanwhile outside Leinster house, the rally was in full swing. Literally hundreds of people, wearing FUSE t-shirts, packed Kildare St. There were street entertainers and drummers all waiting for the Garda escort that guided the final runners to the gates of Leinster House. The atmosphere was truly electric. Senators and regional councillors were also present to show their support for the campaign and the event that made sure that the university message was brought to the decision makers.

Also on Tuesday, a full page advertisement was placed in the Irish Times. This advertisement was in the form of a letter of support for the University for the South East and was signed by some of the top names in Irish business, sport, and education. The result of this advertisement was a supportive opinion piece in the Irish Times this Saturday which stated that the case "deserves to be successful on its own merits. And it should be possible to ring fence a decision in its favour to ensure the role of the wider IoT sector is not compromised." We have come a long way from the early negative press that wrongly surrounded the case for a university in the South East - the support and desire of the people for this resource is finally getting through but we need you to keep pushing, never stop until this facility is granted, your voices are making a difference.

Today, Sunday 6th April, it became very apparent that the case for a university in the South East was indeed a buzz topic amongst the media when it became a talking point on the Sunday Supplement with Sam Smyth on Today FM. We expect more and more shows will start to talk about the issue now that we have been successful in making sure that it can no longer be ignored and that the vast majority of people want this university to become a reality.

Now that the Dáil has reconvened we are expectant of a decision in the near future but this does not mean that we will rest. The campaign will continue to push and to ensure that everything possible is done to make the University of the South East, a reality for all and future generations! Remember if you have missed any of our previous newsletters you can download them from the website http://www.se4u.org/news/, you can find them in the newsletters section on the right of the page.

Best Wishes,

Friends of the University for the South East