Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I read the committee's reports and take its recommendations on board so we are proceeding with that to try and get a concrete understanding, an actual database, as to what is going on here. I will not take too much time on this but there are a number of real actions that we are taking to try to accelerate all-island collaboration in both further and higher education. In 2023, will see the development of the first all-island apprenticeship, likely in the area of construction. Construction workers move around the island and it makes sense for the apprenticeship model. Also in 2023 there should be an all-island approach to medical education. We are almost there and have a bit of work to do. There has been a lot of really good work by my colleagues on that issue. We will likely see this month, if not next month, significant announcements on all-island research centres. We will talk about that. As soon as tomorrow I will be updated by officials on the work our Government is doing to advance our commitments on the New Decade, New Approach deal as regards Magee College. I know this is an important interest for this committee and I will keep it closely informed.

On the €307 million, it is my intention to close this gap as quickly as possible. I want to see this gap closed ideally in the lifetime of this Government. That is where the three budgets comment came from.

It is true, as we have discussed before, that ensuring people had food, light, heat and so on had to take priority in the measures we took in what became a cost-of-living budget. However, we managed to receive significant investment and I am pleased with how it has landed with the implementation group for Funding the Future. I will send the committee a note rather than taking up its time on this. There will be an additional €17.8 million for the universities and specialist colleges to strengthen capacity and resources, including effective staffing and reducing the staff-student ratio. The technological universities will also receive €17.8 million to strengthen their structural capacity in staffing and posts. Increased funding of €2.4 million will be allocated to medicine places and I am particularly excited about the €2 million to develop, co-design and co-deliver programmes between further education and training, FET, and higher education, HE. These are the additional Funding the Future measures and this is what the additional money will do. I will send the committee a detailed note on that.

The question on accommodation and affordability is valid. It is also the focus of our work. We cannot hand out taxpayers' money and be mute on the issue of affordability. I cannot get to where we are going immediately because I need Cabinet approval but I intend to go before the Cabinet committee on housing this month. We will make proposals on how we believe we can help to get a number of projects that have full planning permission unstuck. That is step one. We have set up a specific unit in the Department dedicated to student accommodation. There are a number of ways to slice and perhaps address the issue of affordability. I will be happy to come back to this committee for its views and input once those proposals are available.

Regarding the PhD issue, the Deputy referred to the apprenticeship model last night in the Dáil and again in the committee today. I spoke about whether a PhD student should be treated as a student or an employee. Different countries do different things. What is the best model? The scope of the review is broad enough to cover all of that. It is clear this will not only be about the appropriate level of stipend. That is important and it needs to be higher, but we also need to consider what other issues need to be addressed such as terms, conditions and pathways.

In the interests of time, I can send the Deputy and committee a note on DBS. The work on this matter is ongoing. The committee will be aware that a total of 85 learners were impacted by DBS. It is a private college but I do not say that to wash our hands of the issue. We want to help. Of the 85 learners, 15 graduated in 2022 and 2021, 37 were part-time learners and 31 were full-time learners. The 15 graduates have the option - and I am not trying to speak for them because I take the point that everyone is an individual - to avail of grant parenting provisions to become eligible for the register. The existing students who have not yet graduated need to see how they can continue their studies. Both TU Dublin and the Open Training College, OTC, are likely options but conversations are ongoing and we will continue to keep the committee updated about that.