Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 24 May 2022

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills

Future Funding of Higher Education: Discussion (Resumed)

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Legally they can borrow now through the Housing Finance Agency. There is no legislative reason they cannot borrow. The officials have done work on this to clarify it. The legal position is they can access the borrowing framework. As I have said, and I say this for a reason, these are new institutions and potentially large capital projects. They need to build a collective sense of confidence with regard to an ability for us to collectively deliver on this agenda. I do not mean this in a pejorative sense and they would say it honestly too. It is something we are working our way through. My message to technological universities is very clear. We are open for business in terms of pilot projects and ideas for student accommodation. It will be a very important component of making sure TUs reach their full potential. There is no moment in time in terms of legislative change required to begin these conversations.

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