Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The responsibility for the use of money in higher education, first and foremost, should sit with the new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The Chairman has raised in the past a number of issues related to the use of funding. There have been some issues that the Committee of Public Accounts has looked into. I believe one of the rationales for the setting up of that Department is to bring more focus onto the use of money in that sector. While issues have developed in the use of some funding in the sector, in the round the money that goes into our universities, technological universities, institutes and colleges is well spent and plays a valuable role in supporting students and our economy. The issues the Chairman is referring to are, first and foremost, dealt with by the responsible Department. I am sure the Chairman has had representatives of the Department in this committee or they have been in front of their own committee, raising issues regarding the use of money in that sector.