"THE students and people of Cork have known for a long time that we are an institute of technology. We just want the Minister to recognise that," Cork RTC's student union president said yesterday.
Mr Matty O'Callaghan was addressing a demonstration off nearly 3,000 students at the Department of Education in Dublin.
The message from the academic staff's spokesman, Dr Liam McDonnell, was the same. "All we require now is the name," lie said.
He said the Minister, Ms Breathnach, had forgotten Cork when she upgraded Waterford RTC to an institute of technology, despite the fact that six proposals had been put to her by Cork RTC, the most recent only last month.
Mr O'Callaghan warned Ms Breathnach to "stop making decisions on the basis of the security of Labour seats. There are Labour seats in Cork too and they'll suffer." He said: "The condemnation that has come down on her could easily turn into support" if she were to upgrade Cork RTC.
He told the students they could register 4,500 student voters and make a real difference in Cork's two five seat constituencies.
Fianna Fail's education spokesman, Mr Micheal Martin, a Cork deputy, said criteria should have been published "so everyone would know what the yardstick is for an institute of technology".
He was confident that Cork RTC would immediately meet any criteria laid down by an independent assessment body.
A delegation from Cork RTC met Department officials on Friday. Those talks resume today.