Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I am in Leinster House. As my colleague, Deputy Conway-Walsh, focused on the larger quality issues, I will be a little parochial and direct my questions to Professor Cusack. As this is my first engagement with her, I congratulate her on her appointment. The Munster Technological University is very historic. It is very exciting for Cork and I wish all involved the very best of luck.

On the transition to technological university status, Professor Cusack's predecessor, Barry O'Connor, would have made the point that pound for pound the funding per student in the IT sector, now technological university sector, represents incredible value for money but ultimately that was unsustainable. The amount that universities were given per student then was much lower than is being provided now for the technological universities. I ask Professor Cusack to comment on that.

I understand there is a memorandum of understanding in regard to the agreement to implement Munster Technological University. Can Professor Cusack provide a timeline for full implementation of that memorandum of understanding? As I understand it, there are some outstanding issues in the context of phases 3 and 4. I would welcome an update on that issue and also on the Cush report and its implementation, particularly as it relates to contracts.

My final point is in respect of the learnings for other institutes of technology that want to transition. In Professor Cusack's view, what challenges lie ahead of the technological university as it builds up steam and what are the learnings for other institutes of technology as they make the transition?