Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I echo the Deputy's comments on the apprentices. We need to hear more from apprentices. We hear a lot from agencies that represent good people, but the voice of the apprentice needs to be heard. It is good the committee invited them to attend today.

On timelines, the Deputy's question is a valid one. We now have a shared understanding across the sector, and I think across the Dáil and the Seanad, as to what needs to be done. The €307 million figure has not been disputed. There is a good technical paper that explains how we got to that figure. It is about getting on and delivering it.

People reference the Cassells report. I think it is important to state the review found a lot has happened since the publication of the Cassells report. One of the myths circulating was that Cassells did his work, which was very good work, from 2014 to 2016, and then the report sat on a shelf. That Cassells report mentioned a figure of €1 billion. Looking at the technical report, that figure is now €307 million. That shows that there has been a lot of movement, particularly post 2016 and onwards.

The honest answer is we are starting the work now. The Deputy mentioned a delivery date in 2026. I am talking about starting now, in budget 2023. On the pace at which we can deliver it, out of respect to all my Government colleagues and the collective we form, it is matter for the Estimates process. However, I wish to highlight there are three budgets left, all going to plan, in the lifetime of this Government.

Given the €307 million figure, we should be able to significantly close that gap during those three budgets. I think that is a shared ambition across Government. I do not think I am speaking out of turn in relation to that. We can make an awful lot of progress on that €307 million figure in the three remaining budgets before the next general election.

I do not have any more information on extra places but am finalising a memo to Government and expect to bring it to Government very shortly. We will try to provide, as I said to the Deputy in the Dáil last week, 1,000 additional places or thereabouts. It is different from previous years in that, as the Deputy has called for, we are targeting it in areas where there is high demand in terms of students looking for it as well as a skills need, specifically medicine, nursing, engineering, environmental areas and medical scientists. I will be happy to share the information with the Deputy once I have briefed Cabinet.

On the technological universities, that provision exists so we have clarified that the Housing Finance Agency is in a position under legislation to borrow. That is not the same thing as saying the structures are in place or the tradition in the sector is in place but legally it is possible as of now.

The Deputy made a fair point on the timing of the student assistance fund, considering the immediate pressures students can face at the start of a college year. I will reflect on that and see what we can do.