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

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 12, between lines 21 and 22, to insert the following: “ “Core funding” means the Recurrent Grant Allocation Model (RGAM) used by the HEA to fund the public institutions of higher education and any model that may replace the RGAM as the HEA funding model;”.

The reason we want to insert this definition of core funding is that it is used in other amendments. It is used in amendments to section 37 and other amendments. I am open to views and input on the most appropriate definition for the commonly-used concept of core funding, but it is important that we set it aside because when we listened to witnesses who appeared before this committee regarding additional funding, core funding is integral to everything that we do. The intention of amendment No. 94 to section 37 and the reason for including the definition is to ensure that for-profit private colleges could never be eligible for core funding. It is, in effect, to make it impossible for private colleges to receive State funding in the same manner as public institutions. I limited this to core funding only, since private colleges currently receive funding in a number of ways. It is important to note, therefore, that this amendment does not change the current status quo. It will only ensure the continuation of the current approach to funding higher education.