Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Ministers and Ministers of State for being with us. I have a lot of questions and a short amount of time. I will rattle through them as quickly as I possibly can.

My first point is on equality budgeting. I am delighted to see the detail in the Revised Estimates on equality budgeting but would love if we had more time to really drill down into it. I see there is progress. It is slow progress and I would like to see more done. I am glad that the information was presented.

I will now turn to my questions. Is there a specific funding provision for technological university, TU, projects? Will the Minister consider enacting legislation to allow the technological universities to borrow in the same way that the regular universities do so there is a funding stream apart from a the Central Fund and the Exchequer?

Referring to appendix B on apprenticeships, our output target in 2020 was 20,000. Our output target in 2021 is only 21,000. This is a very modest increase. This question is to the Minister of State. Are we really hoping to ramp up our ambition here? I am thinking specifically of our retrofit targets.

Subheads A1 and B1 both have a 17% or 18% increase in administration costs. I am always wary when I see a jump in administration costs. Is further detail available on that?

Subhead B5 deals with teacher training colleges. I wonder where this will end up. Will it end up in second level with the Minister for Education's Department or the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science's Department? Are there any plans for developing an Irish language training college for primary level, which is sorely needed?

I am sorry for rattling so many questions at the Ministers, but my final question is on subhead B17 and public private partnerships. There is a 116% increase. I am sure this relates to a specific project or projects but it is a very large increase. Will the Minister provide detail on that please?