Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Deputy chooses to interpret things the way he does. If he reads the action plan for education he will see that we place a high priority on meeting the skill needs of the future, not only in universities but also in respect of matters such as apprenticeships and traineeships. We place a high priority on increasing by 30% the number of young people from disadvantaged areas that get through to higher education. We recognise higher education is absolutely pivotal to our long-term success as a nation.

In approaching the important issue of funding, it must be recognised that there is a short-term need and a long-term need. We must look to this budget to find resources to meet the short-term need. We have to recognise that we are working against a background where, in total, there is approximately €600 million for use in respect of housing, health, homelessness and all of the other issues Government must address. There is also the long and medium-term strategy and the Deputy seems to be dismissing the need to address those medium-term issues thrown up by a county man of his, Peter Cassells. Those are important issues and if the Deputy and his party firmly believe that proper long-term funding is required for higher education, then they must come forward with proposals within the context of the Cassells report as to how we will make that approach work.

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