Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin (Wicklow-Wexford, Sinn Fein)

I thank Ms Nugent, Mr. McCaffrey and Mr. Lemass for those reports and the extra detail. I welcome the few points made in relation to the extra investment, though it is somewhat modest concerning the number of beds. The rent-a-room relief scheme is a very good, sensible model that ticks many boxes for many things apart from more affordable accommodation. My preference would be for a major emphasis on State-funded accommodation on campus aimed at the local student body.

In her report, Ms Nugent highlighted the large demand from international student places as providing quite a challenge. I would like to get some further detail on this issue. From what I can see, there is probably an overreliance or overdependence on a privatised model, where international students are paying very high fees, up to €30,000, which is probably distorting the market. It is not just distorting it in terms of the provision of places for people in this country but also in terms of the accommodation overall. I think one figure was mentioned in the larger report of privateers putting in €1 billion in investment. Is that the figure from private sources? I think that type of a model is just fraught with danger. Education should be something affordable and State-funded, not for profit. I represent the constituency of Wicklow-Wexford and I do not want to see fewer places for the younger people I have been teaching there if some privateer is importing large numbers of students and charging them astronomical levels of fees. They have the cash power, perhaps, to pay much more for accommodation, so they and the local students are getting ripped off. If any more detail is available on this matter, I would like to see it.

I refer to the report from my colleague Deputy McGettigan on the Technological University of the Shannon. We had those students up here last week when Deputy McGettigan hosted them. Of those students, 41% said they were forced to live at home, 71% of those in digs said they did not have any security or contracts, 90% said they were very frustrated at difficulties in finding accommodation and 70% said they believed the Government did not care about students. Those were their views. If fees are to increase by another €1,000, that would be a great worry.

There are so many different areas we could look at, but on the whole public-versus-private funding model in terms of courses and accommodation, will the witnesses give me a little bit more detail on this issue and how it is providing a challenge? This would worry me. I also see that, in another section to do with the target audience, there is a point about where investment is being made. I would like to get a bit more information on that point, if it is available. I would like a little bit more of a breakdown of the 30% cohort.