Alan Farrell (Dublin Fingal, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator Dolan for helping me earlier because I had to take an important call. I apologise for having to step away just as the Minister of State finished his opening statement.

As a former student of Waterford Institute of Technology, I am pleased with the statements made on this matter in recent days by the Minister, his Department, the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach. Given what has been said throughout this meeting, there is no doubt that this technological university have a transformative effect on the region and that is not before time. As someone who once protested and shut down traffic on the bridge in Waterford city many years ago when we were fighting for a library, I am very pleased to see further capital investment in WIT. I hope that investment will continue in the new technological university, regardless of its name.

The Minister and the Minister of State will understand that most of the questions about the technological universities project have been asked and well answered. Therefore I will take this opportunity while they here to address issues such as apprenticeships, further education and training and the opportunities presented by those facets of the education system. The incentive scheme for apprenticeships was touched on by the Minister in his responses to previous questions. I am interested in hearing about future plans for this area and the physical infrastructure necessary to meet the ever-increasing demands of our student population. It will be understood that third level is not for everyone.

I would like more information concerning the university places provided by the Minister last year. He referred to that aspect in the context of trying to cater for demands which may well be met. The Minister mentioned that a report is due to be published on this area imminently, as early as next month. This will be an important consideration for those students who now have choices regarding their leaving certificate and what may flow from those choices in September.