Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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There is a key role in trying to promote apprenticeships. As a spokesperson on housing, I can say we absolutely need more availability in that pool. Given there is such a vocational base in that college, it might be that it experiences a reduction if there is a greater flow of people into the apprenticeship pool. That is something for us to keep an eye on. I know TUD has a pre-apprenticeship programme but I understand it is on pause at the moment, despite funding having been made available. That is not something I expect Dr. O'Reardon to answer.

I welcome Dr. O'Reardon's words, and hope they were chosen wisely, about the university not expecting to borrow at this stage. An institution such as TUD would, over time, need to be able to borrow, particularly to address the need for student accommodation that was referred to earlier. All of the universities are trying to solve the puzzle of how much they can borrow and how to do it. TUD is right in the middle of the city. It has land and there are plans in that regard. Over time, borrowing for housing purposes is something we should try to facilitate. Would that need to be dealt with through the variation and amendment of legislation or could it be done within the current legislative framework?