A new report on Waterford Institute's application for university status does not come down for or against the application.
The report, published by the Department of Education this afternoon, does not recommend the Institute should be granted university status, nor does it rule it out.
It sets out various options for the Government to consider.
In response, Minister for Education Mary Hanafin said it is a very broad issue which needs to be discussed and the report will be studied over the next few weeks.
She has not said whether Waterford should or should not get university status, but said the Government will hopefully make a decision on this in the next month or so.
