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

I thank the Chairman and the Minister of State. I am pleased to be discussing the technological universities again, as we have done so many times before. The Minister of State knows I have a particular interest in the Atlantic Technological University and I think it is a great name for it. As he is aware, it is also important, that we have a proper sustainable funding model and we will have an opportunity to do that when the Cassells report comes back. I ask that he speak to that. We are expecting both the Minister of Finance, Deputy Donohoe, and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, to appear before the committee on 10 February. It is very important we have that published as soon as possible in order that we can get the funding model right because unless we get that model right for the technological universities, they will not fulfil their potential. The expectation along the Atlantic economic corridor is that this will be a real catalyst for change in terms of what it can provide in respect of developments in renewable energy and research and development on that.

When we look at research and development, we know the technological universities have not fulfilled their potential and we need to look at what they need in order to be able to do so.

We know those in Waterford, Cork and Dublin have probably been the best performers but only 0.2% of Ireland's total, or €1.9 million, has been drawn down by the combination of the Atlantic Technological University. Particularly in terms of the challenges of climate change and what we can do in regard to renewable energy along the western seaboard, it is important we have those proper discussions on the funding they need to be able to lever the huge amount of money that is available through Horizon 2020.

We know that since 2014, Ireland has drawn down more than €1 billion worth of research funding, €618 million of which was by the third level institutions. We must really concentrate on what we need to do in that regard. How will the Minister of State make sure that happens?

I am concerned about the public private partnership, PPP, contracts for all of the investments in technological universities, particularly as we have not carried out a proper evaluation of the couple that have been done before. I believe it is approximately ten years ago since they were done under Fianna Fáil. We need to do a further examination of that model to see if we are going to deliver value for money and whether it is the best vehicle. I do not believe it is the best vehicle for us to achieve what we need around third level. I am concerned that we will end up with a privatised situation where the academic element will be public but many of the ways in which we deliver third level education will be dependent on the public private partnership. I want to see the evidence for that. One contract that was signed in 2020 was valued at almost €600 million. We are talking about an awful lot of money here.

This is quite technical but with regard to the amalgamation of St. Angela's College with the Atlantic Technological University, amendments will needed to the higher education authority Bill. They need to be in situbefore 1 April, however. What does the Minister of State have in place to ensure that St. Angela's College can avail of what is on offer and amalgamate?

I want to acknowledge the huge amount of work that has been done by St. Angela's College, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, GMIT, Institute of Technology Sligo, Letterkenny Institute of Technology and all the institutes in getting this to where it is today. I want to make sure we do not let the ball drop in any of those instances. I thank the Minister of State. There is a lot there.