Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will try to answer all the questions. With regard to institutes of technology, they would be in constant contact with the Higher Education Authority with regard to their cashflow issues. We are not talking about the scenario the Deputy painted. They would constantly work with the Higher Education Authority in terms of ensuring they are able to continue to carry out their functions during the year. However, there is a difference between them and universities in that universities can borrow whereas institutes of technology cannot under the current legislation governing them.

With regard to the student contribution being offset, that is the way it has been consistently, and is not something that has come in either this year or in the past few years, where the student contribution is offset against the funding generally paid to colleges. With regard to the €175 million, it is built into next year's funding so it would be there as part of the base for next year. Of the €175 million, €50 million is capital, but the non-capital element of it is built into the base.