Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister and join him in commending students on the huge work they have done this year and on everything they have done to maintain safety, working with other students to support them. The figures provided indicate that the general grant to the institutes of technology and universities has been cut by 9%. Is that correct? My next question is on CAO places and the pressure on the leaving certificate. Is the Minister satisfied the budget will be able to do enough to bring additional places into third level to ease the pressure on the CAO system? How many additional places will be added for undergraduate students coming through the CAO system in 2021? How many of these will be over and above the number projected to meet demographic demands? Specifically with regard to graduate entry medical students, excluding places for international students and places already allocated to those who sat the leaving certificate last November, how many medical places will be available to the class of 2021? How will this compare with the class of 2020? How many medical places have already been allocated to students who sat the leaving certificate last November?