Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

As Senator Power pointed out, €25 million was taken out of the third level sector last year and the colleges were told to take it from their reserves. It was the same the year before. Since an assessment was made in advance and the colleges had to make it up from reserves I presume there has been some monitoring of how that has worked out. What has the impact been in respect of the €25 million from the previous year and the €25 million that is being extracted this year? How is that impacting on the various institutions? Are some institutions finding it particularly difficult? Can the Minister provide an overview of how it is developing?

Another area is Gaeltacht grants for teacher training students. A grant was in place privately to cover the cost of students attending the Gaeltacht for a compulsory period as part of their course. How much was saved in the current year as a result of the removal of the grant? How much would it cost to put it back in place? We know that at third level it is becoming increasingly difficult for students in general to sustain themselves and for their families to sustain them. For teacher training students it is an especially troublesome financial burden.

My final question relates to third level funding in general. Where does the Minister stand in respect of the future with regard to this issue? The can has been kicked down the road and pressure has been piled on students to pick up the tab in the meantime. It has become increasingly difficult for many, especially those among the squeezed middle. Can the Minister provide an update on the reports she has received and what she intends to do next? What is the position in respect of the Higher Education Authority on the future of third level funding?