Mr. Tom Conlon:

I thank Deputy Clarke for that question. With respect to the technological universities, TUs, we are almost over the line in respect of a significant allocation of European Regional Development Fund, ERDF, funding for exactly that purpose. As Dr. Lillis said, to equip the technological universities to compete for particular funding, they need the resources to do that. We have done that in the past with the Strategic Innovation Fund with the universities where we put in, for example, vice presidents of research almost two decades ago and that has completely lifted the game of the traditional universities in that way with regard to research and innovation.

The predecessors to the TUs have had a very particular concentration on teaching and learning, for example, which has been very good and has served them very well.  However, as they move into a research environment, they need the capacity and space to develop their research culture, oversight, the quality of the student experience, and so on.  We are very much working in that space and have significant resources coming to do that.