Mr. Frank Jones:

It is a very important question raised by the Deputy. We must change the narrative and we can do that together; this is not a spend on higher education but investment in the country. There is a very positive Indecon report and my colleague might be quoting from it with respect to returns on investment in higher education. It was commissioned by the Irish Universities Association in 2019 and it deals with the spend on higher education and returns that come to the Exchequer from that spend. It is a really good investment for the country and it is worth us trying to discuss that and ensure there is value for money and good returns on that investment. That is what we are about. We are not just a bottomless pit seeking more money. We are seeking proper investment so there can be proper returns to society.