Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank Mr. Richard Kennedy for his presentation. As with my colleagues, I would like clarity on his position on income contingent loans. I have concerns, as I say every time we discuss the Cassells report, about equality of access to education and these income contingent loans. We could lose our most skilled graduates to emigration because if they emigrate they will probably not be chased to repay the loans.

How much more will employers be willing to pay into the national training fund? At the moment, it raises €350 million but ICTU want it to be raised to €700 million. What say does ICTU currently have over how that €350 million is spent? If it was increased, what say would it like to have?