Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate that we have kept the witnesses waiting and I apologise for that. We will now have a discussion with the interim CEO of the Technological Higher Education Association and presidents of institutes of technology on the Cassells report.

I again wish to place on the record the committee's gratitude to Mr. Peter Cassells, his group and its secretariat for their research, analysis and findings. Funding is badly needed now - never mind the projected demographics - if we are to cater for students as desired. To follow on from a comment made by the previous group, we all want to do our best to support a dynamic learning environment for the students of today and tomorrow. This important debate is necessary and committee members are conscious of the decisions that we must make. We must try to do that in a consensual way and bring our decisions to the Minister.

We appreciate the witnesses' time. On behalf of the committee, I welcome Professor Tom Collins, interim CEO of the Technological Higher Education Association, THEA; Dr. Fergal Barry, president of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; Ms Ann Campbell, president of the Dundalk Institute of Technology; Mr. Paul Hannigan, president of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology; Professor Willie Donnelly, president of the Waterford Institute of Technology; Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, president of the Athlone Institute of Technology; Professor Vincent Cunnane, president of the Limerick Institute of Technology; and Dr. Oliver Murphy, president of Institute of Technology, Tralee.

I draw the witnesses' attention to the fact that, by virtue of section 17(2)(l) of the Defamation Act 2009, they are protected by absolute privilege in respect of their evidence to the committee. However, if they are directed by the Chair to cease giving evidence on a particular matter and continue to do so, they are entitled thereafter only to qualified privilege in respect of their evidence. They are directed that only evidence connected with the subject matter of these proceedings is to be given and asked to respect the parliamentary practice to the effect that, where possible, they should not criticise or make charges against any person or entity by name or in such a way as to make him, her or it identifiable. Any submission or opening statement submitted to the committee will be published on our website after the meeting. Members are reminded of the same points.

I call on Professor Ó Catháin to make his opening statement. Members will then have an opportunity to ask questions.