Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Regardless of what option is taken in terms of third-level education, it is my view that education is a public good and there should be no system of charges for it. Leaving that aside, does the witness agree that the third-level institutions, driven by budgets, are driving the need for third-level education on the academic side? In the Finnish model, one can come through either the academic or apprenticeship scheme and can cross between those streams as one sees fit. This country has a single stream, although apprenticeship is slowly being brought in. If I were president of a university and saw the opportunity for fees to come in, I would drive programmes. During my time in further education, a successful further education programme was immediately adopted by a third-level college because it was able to attract sufficient students. The number of students is crucial to third-level budgets which, in turn, are crucial for third-level institutions. If one looks at the size of some of our universities which grew from little acorns, they are not just one great big oak tree but rather several oak trees. Universities have several campuses in cities throughout the country. If third-level funding is being looked at, reform should also be investigated. Would the witness agree on that point?