Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)
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We can request it, if agreed by the committee. That is agreed. We will request the timeline. We will note and publish the item of correspondence.

No. R1752 B is from Ms Eeva Leinonen, president of Maynooth University, and dated 20 February 2023. It provides information requested by the committee regarding a construction contract for a student centre. It is proposed to note and publish this item of correspondence. Is that agreed? Agreed. Members will note that the issue has been raised several times at the committee, including by Deputy Catherine Murphy. The correspondence sets out the current situation. It states that previous correspondence outlined the background to the student levy at Maynooth University, the purpose for which the levy is collected and confirmed that a total of €11 million has been collected since 2015. The section on which I am unclear states: "It is important to reiterate that the income collected through the student levy goes towards repaying the portion of a loan from the European Investment Bank that is being used by MU to finance the provision of new student facilities".

Ms Leinonen emphasises that "neither the student levy income nor the overall quantum of funding available to develop student facilities has been impacted by the decision to terminate the construction contract". The total funding available for the student facility is financed in part by a European Investment Bank, EIB, loan of €34.2 million, of which €7.5 million has been spent. Can Mr. McCarthy shed any light on this? Is there anything happening on the ground for that spending? Has concrete been poured?