The Minister for Education and Science has rejected calls for Waterford Institute of Technology to be granted university status.
Noel Dempsey has also suggested that Dublin Institute of Technology is some way from being upgraded.
In a reply to a Dáil question, Mr Dempsey said that the position in relation to Waterford Institute of Technology is that there were no plans to change the status of the Institute.
Figures supplied by the Institute indicate that in the region of 40% of students enrolled on full-time certificate, diploma, degree and postgraduate courses are enrolled on courses at degree and postgraduate level.
In relation to the Dublin Institute of Technology, Mr Dempsey said the issue of university status for DIT is 'not new'.
