I thank the Deputies. Deputy Boyd Barrett should note that I am of course concerned about students dropping out. One or five is too many, never mind 5,000. I would like to understand the reasons. Some analysis would be helpful and I will look into this. I understand that meeting the cost of college has never been easy. I also understand that if the supports, which are abundant in the system and paid for by the State, are not reaching those most in need, something is going wrong. I am not convinced that flat aboliti…

The Cassells report was published a number of years ago and that was superseded by the Funding the Future framework. That was published in May 2022 and outlines the vision for how higher education will be funded and how this will support students, employees and wider society. The framework identified a figure of €307 million as representing the quantum of increase in core funding required to deliver enhanced performance, strategic reforms and strengthened quality of outcomes. An additional €307 million was identifi…

On the Deputy's comment about the two other Ministers since, there have been three Ministers in the past five years since this Department was created. The Tánaiste served for four of those years, the then Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, served for six months and I have been here for two months. Give us a chance and let us see where we are. I will certainly make my best efforts, as the Deputy acknowledged. The figure has been met. The gap of €307 million was identified and there was the Cassells report which I was there…

The Deputy mentioned more funding does not necessarily lead to greater outcomes. That is why it is all the more important it is delivered in a strategic way and, as I said in my first response, the Funding the Future framework does have that at its core - to align funding with enhanced performance, strategic reforms and quality of outcomes. I agree with the Deputy and that is why we are doing it in a targeted, measured, managed fashion. With regard to the pay awards, that is a slightly separate issue. Funding in re…

There was a pay agreement entered into between Government and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions last year and in the Revised Estimates, an amount of €24.9 million was provided in the base for the higher education sector in anticipation of that pay deal being agreed. That is a slightly separate track. I appreciate there are competing priorities, as always. That highlights the difficulty of any report, be it Cassells or Funding the Future, in anticipating and planning for higher education growth and for core funding…

I thank the Deputy for his kinds words to me and to the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin. We both look forward to serving this Department as a team and bettering the sector. With regard to the Deputy's question, I am very interested in this area myself. I have made inquiries on it since I assumed the post. As the Deputy is probably aware, the HEA ran an expression of interest process in October 2022 to assess the capacity for expansion in key disciplines including veterinary medicine. Following the completion of th…

I completely agree with the Deputy. My constituency is in neither catchment but is an agricultural constituency. It is an equine constituency. County Kildare is the home of the horses. I know many people who are interested in these courses and who tell me about the ongoing demand, the need for placements and the need for vets, including large animal vets. Small practice is its own area, of course, but we need people out on the farm and in large animal practice. As regards these programmes, with Kildalton SETU and M…

I am aware of the Deputy's interest, and indeed the interest of the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, in all items on the west coast, and this development no less. I know the Deputy is well aware that Galway and Roscommon ETB is being supported by SOLAS in developing its preliminary business case proposal under the FET college of the future major projects fund. The proposal put forward by Galway and Roscommon ETB relates to the development of a new state-of-the-art FET campus on a site adjacent to the Mervue traini…

For the record, as regards Galway and Roscommon ETB, I think €1.03 million in funding just in the current year is already earmarked, even aside from this project. I am aware, however, that there was a request for the square footage to be reduced. I think there was an application for 25,000 sq. m. The college was invited to submit a revised business case. There was a meeting with SOLAS and Department officials with all 12 ETBs included in this package, including Galway and Roscommon ETB, in April and May 2024 and ea…

It would be unhelpful for me to comment on the particular facility in terms of the details of it because I am not informed on it. It would be unfair to the project. However, I take the Deputy's point that phase 2 will now follow and will undoubtedly provide important services. I think her suggestion is that it would be better to do the whole thing at once, if I understand her correctly. That is a natural, intuitive argument to make. I have seen elsewhere that sometimes projects can be overly ambitious - I am not ma…

The Deputy is being a little bit elastic in his supplementary question. A question on Galway and Roscommon ETB has morphed to include pharmaceutical course provision at the Waterford campus of SETU. I will run with it, however.

We are also on the theme of constructive collaboration. I do not know if the Deputy was in the Chamber for my interaction with Deputy Fitzmaurice but I fully agree with both Deputies. I am very keen to see these courses proceed. The provision on high-end professional qualifications in areas such as veterinary science and pharmaceuticals will be a hallmark of the technological universities. I am a big supporter of both. On the point regarding agriculture, I have visited both colleges. Since being appointed, I have b…

I thank the Deputy. She mentioned the audiovisual room presentations and so forth. As I have told the House this morning, I am a new Minister and am reading into the brief. If Members know of groups or interested parties who wish to engage with me, they should feel free to direct them my way. I cannot guarantee I will meet everybody every time but I will do my best to meet with stakeholder groups and take their points on board. As the Deputy will know, digs accommodation is a long-established and traditional source…

As does mine.

My daughter also commutes to college and I would prefer if she did not have to commute such a distance. I see at first hand that it can detract from quality of life. I have met student unions, most recently the union in Maynooth, and have heard that message conveyed. I completely get it and appreciate it. On the framework being voluntary rather than mandatory, there is always a risk at a time when we are trying to increase supply and where there have been traditional arrangements in respect of digs accommodation. I…

On ATU, I recently sanctioned the purchase of 16 acres by ATU Sligo. This is a site just opposite the college campus. The Deputy may be aware of it. That will come on stream in due course.

The Deputy is talking about Mayo. All politics is local. I understand that. I might have to come back to her on the details of the situation in Mayo.

This is a very serious issue, which I take on board. It is one I am keen to progress. It is governed by the national access plan for higher education 2022-28 which sets out the ambition for an inclusive and diverse higher education sector. An important component of that plan is its recognition and naming of additional priority groups which are considered marginalised or disadvantaged. This includes students who are carers. Many supports are provided that seek to address the struggles and challenges that arise. The …

I do not disagree with any of that. That is why my Department is rolling out multiple diverse and more flexible pathways and financial supports and also non-financial supports. I spoke about the variety of other grant aids and the maintenance grant and how various social protection payments are disregarded from those grants to ensure there is no loss of income for people who take up a place. In addition, on the non-financial aspect, I spoke about Springboard+, microcredentials and tertiary programmes which are all …

I will not repeat myself but all the measures I introduced in terms of flexibility, financial supports, non-traditional routes to education and geographically distributed access points, including those close to the learner's home, will contribute to and support that endeavour. I hope they are already assisting learners.