Dr. Breda McTaggart:

We have had more students this year. I would not really agree with a graduate programme, but I certainly would agree with a bursary programme. There is a slight difference within them. We have had a lot of people working in posts within Tusla who would have liked to come on the programme, but they could not afford it financially, so this would have been an opportunity for them. Tusla approached us about trying to find funded bursaries when were doing the programme originally, because people intended to stay with it anyhow. However, there were difficulties with the systems of both grants and bursaries. When I worked in the health services, I got partially funded for a programme, and I had to stay there for a year and a half. I had to commit to that, but I did not find it a barrier because I intended to stay there. That is a definite option for people who are in Tusla particularly, who want to transition or develop their careers in another direction, because we had quite a number who were interested in that but could not afford it. I would definitely be supportive of it within that kind of frame.