Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I have a few questions for the Minister and then we will have a few minutes for people to come back in. A significant capital investment will be required for the construction of the Wexford campus. I do not want the Minister to comment on that now but I wanted to bring it to his attention that this will be needed.

The conversation about the governing body and the new headquarters for the TUSE in the past number of weeks has annoyed me. I hope the Deputies from Waterford will not mind me saying this but a number of people in Waterford have been highlighting this issue. Nobody else in any of the other counties, that is, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny, is speaking about this but a number of people are doing a considerable amount of damage to the TUSE by talking about where the headquarters will be. No one has stated any reason it should not be in Waterford but that is up to the new governing body.

I thank the presidents of both institutions, Dr. Patricia Mulcahy and Professor Willie Donnelly, as well as the chairs of the governing body, Councillor Jim Moore from Wexford and John Moore from Carlow, for the fantastic work they are all doing. This matter has received some media attention in recent weeks and some staff in Waterford have been talking about the lack of a funding model. I know this is of concern to the Minister and that he wants to make sure significant investment goes into the TUSE. THEA specifically referred to the inability of the sector to access the same borrowing capability as other universities because of legislation that needs to be enacted to give the TUs this entitlement. Does the Minister intend to expedite this legislation as an urgent priority in order that there is a level playing field for the TUs and the universities? There has to be a level playing field. There has been competition between universities in the past number of years and decades and we would not like to see that happening with the technological universities.

There is a need to encourage the uptake of STEM subjects, by females in particular. How can the Department support the TUs in this endeavour? Does the Minister intend to engage with the Department of Education to ensure there is a more joined-up approach? Schools should encourage STEM talent, specifically the female cohort, from a young age in order that they can seamlessly move into third level STEM to see if it is an attractive field of study. There are excellent career opportunities and options there for people to go forward.

This committee intends to undertake a comprehensive body of work on leaving certificate reform later this year. At last week's meeting with THEA, its representatives expressed an interest in being involved in these discussions, which I welcome. One point raised by THEA was that any reforms should ensure students are not categorised or do not have avenues of study closed off early in life. What are the Minister's personal thoughts on this matter? Does he advocate for more continuous assessment, as distinct from the straight examination we currently have? How can reform ensure greater equality of opportunity? I would be interested in the Minister of State's views on this matter as well.

The Minister has done great work with the hospitality sector. There have been a number of announcements in the past few weeks because the sector is struggling. I would be the first to admit that. I heard some people in the hospitality sector on national radio this morning dismissing the work the Minister is doing, saying the sector does not need more training courses but more money from the Minister for Finance. Leaving that aside, I have spoken to the Minister personally about this issue. There is a great opportunity within the hospitality sector if we go back to the way it was with the certificates in Shannon College a number of years ago. I thank the Minister for his work, which is the beginning of greater work that he and his Department can do in the hospitality sector. It is going to be very important for the future of our economy when we recover post Covid. We have seen the opportunities within the hospitality sector and I thank the Minister for that work. I was very disappointed this morning by some people at a senior level in hospitality totally dismissing the work the Minister is doing and the opportunities he is offering the sector.