Mr. Paul Hannigan:

The main barrier we are seeing at the moment is in programmes we are running with the North West Regional College in the healthcare area where it is insisted that people from Northern Ireland must find Tusla placements. It is really difficult for them to that. Previously, these students would have had placements in Northern Ireland which would have been accepted but they are not accepted under the college's programme. There are issues that are outside the realm of the actual higher education institutions but are barriers to implementing programmes. As I noted, other issues include that people with Northern Ireland addresses are not eligible for funding arrangements under the Springboard programmes, etc.. These programmes are heavily discounted but people with a Northern Ireland address cannot avail of those. There are simply things that could be rectified if there was an intervention to do so.