Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

There have been increases of funding for the third level sector for the past couple of years running. There is funding in Project Ireland 2040 for a building programme. Anyone who visits our third level institutions regularly will see the number of new buildings that have been constructed in our universities and institutes of technology, ITs. I acknowledge that it is not all public money but some of it is. There is a lot of building under way across our universities and ITs. We have also established the first technological university in Ireland, TU Dublin, and I hope Munster and the south east will also come through this year. There has been funding for pay restoration and pay increases for staff. There has also been funding for extra students.

I will have to check into the specific issue Deputy Howlin raises in respect of the National Training Fund money. My understanding was that a 0.1% increase in the national training levy raises about €50 million, which would be additionality and would not be offset by a cut in funding from central Exchequer, but I will double check that. I do not think it is so, but if it is, I had better know about it. I will check it out. We have also identified a super surplus in the National Training Fund of €300 million, which will be available as part of a human capital initiative for third level institutions to bid for.

In terms of future funding, the model of increasing the National Training Fund by 0.1% has been largely accepted by employers. I thank employers for accepting that small increase in the contributions and payroll taxes they pay every year. It provides an extra €50 million a year for higher education.

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