Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

In the context of the Wexford campus, I am pleased to tell the committee that Institute of Technology Carlow has submitted to the Higher Education Authority a significant amount of documentation and information on a site it is pursuing. That process needs to be gone through in a robust manner but I am hopeful for a positive outcome. The Government's commitment is crystal clear in that we wish to provide a Wexford site for the TU for the south east. I know the Chairman is passionate about this matter and I assure him that we intend to deliver on it. The TU for the south east remains on track to submit its application to me on or before 28 April. I am conscious a balloting process is either under way or about to commence through the various unions including the Teachers Union of Ireland. I am respectful of that. I appreciate the fact that so many Deputies and Senators from the south east, across parties and from all counties, signed a letter of support on the TU for the south east and that they see this as a huge opportunity to create a powerhouse for investment and education in the region.

On the borrowing framework, it is something we always consider. Any decision in relation to the potential for any institute to borrow has to be viewed in the context of overall general Government debt. Institutes technology and TUs are classified as being within general Government, while traditional universities are classified as being outside general Government for EUROSTAT purposes. We need to be cautious in how we deal with this matter and we need to engage with our colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on it. We always keep these issues under review. Our level of commitment, as a Government and as a State, to the TU agenda and to investing more and more in it is clear for all to see. I will provide the Chairman with a note on the significant allocations we have made to each of the institutions as part of that transformation funds over recent months and years.

On future funding, I am glad the Chairman brought this up because it will be one of the biggest issues my Department, this committee, the Oireachtas and the Government will have to address in the context of higher education. We are due to receive, as the Chairman said, that report with input from the European Commission in quarter 2 of this year and I am eager to have an honest debate around it and to make decisions. I think there has been too much political cowardice or can-kicking on this issue. We have to get it right as our economic and societal well-being relies on having a robustly funded future and higher education sector. I will ask my colleague to take the questions relating to the apprenticeship scheme.