FUSE Newsletter 14 March 2008

Dear Friends,

We have just reached the end of yet another exciting week for the FUSE campaign. Those of you who have been tuning into the website will be aware of many of the recent happenings but a quick run-down of the main events is given below.

Last Sunday, FUSE attended the Wexford vs. Kilkenny National Hurling League match in Wexford Park. There were winners on the playing field that day but there were also winners off the field: FUSE leaflets were distributed to the attendees of the match and a great number of positive comments were received. Players from each team and well-known GAA figures showed their support by posing for photos with FUSE (see the photos on our website). An all round victory for the University for the South East!

On Monday morning, a letter from the regional branch of IBEC was sent to all businesses in the South East, highlighting the FUSE initiative. The response was fantastic! Company directors, business owners and many others from all across the South East, started to send in letters of support for the campaign. We would like to thank all those who sent letters and to encourage others to send in their support too. Every letter counts! Also on Monday, a formal position with respect to the case for a university in the South East was published by Fine Gael stating that there was a genuine need in the South East and that this application should be evaluated with a view to awarding university status as long as the necessary criteria were met.

On Tuesday, our essay competition for schools was launched across the region and students will have until May 1st to submit their entry with a chance to win a new computer for their school and a Eur 500 voucher for themselves. On Wednesday, the Waterford Today newspaper was distributed to over 85,000 people in South Kilkenny, Carrick-on-Suir, New Ross, and Waterford City. It contained a full page advertisement for the campaign, kindly sponsored by the newspaper owners. This greatly helped to get the message to even more people in the South East. Also on Tuesday, members of the Waterford City Council suspended standing orders to discuss the case for a South East university. The entire City Council was united in its support for such a university and the expressions of support for the FUSE campaign were highly encouraging.

On Friday, a letter was sent to the 30,000 alumni of WIT asking them to show their support for a university in the South East. The reaction was immediate; a huge surge in visitors was noticed on the website and many people signed the online petition. Also on Friday, government representatives Brian Hayes and Martin Mansergh opened a Dail discussion on the case for a university in the South East. The comments made were very favourable and have ensured that this is now an issue at cabinet level.

So, that's the highlights of another great week for the campaign. This Sunday, FUSE will be at the Kilkenny vs. Waterford National Hurling League match. If you are going, be sure to stop and have a chat with us, we'd be more than happy to answer your questions. Also keep an eye out for more Friends of the University in the St. Patrick's Day parade (Waterford City). In the meantime, keep the FUSE burning, keep talking to your friends about the university, and keep sending those letters to the Ministers, all details are available on the website (http://www.se4u.org). Together we will succeed in bringing a university to the South East!

Have a Great St. Patrick's Weekend,

Friends of the University for the South East