Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Before other members come in, I wish to make several points, some of which have been raised already. I direct my questions to the Minister and the Minister of State. I refer to the Department's funding model for third level institutions. There is a significant drop-off in the number of international students this year. Many third level institutions will not have the same amount of funding from international students as they did previously. How will the Department fill that gap?

To follow on from the points made by Senator Mullen and other members on student loans, a wider debate is needed on the very different funding models in Europe and elsewhere. I am a believer in the Australian model. I acknowledge that not all members will agree with me in that regard. We need a sustainable model of funding, but we also need sustainable options. We should not decide on just one model as the way forward. There must be several options because not all models will fit various families and students. A suite of options must be available.