Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for the answer. I want to try to dig down and understand how the funding allocation model works. The Minister stated that there is base funding, with a proportion allocated on the basis of student numbers. In regard to applying a cost-benefit analysis, €3 million in the first year is a significant amount. I want to rest assured that we are giving plenty of guidance to the HEIs on how to do proceed and that we are scaffolding their efforts around it. We must have an evaluation process to ensure that the taxpayer is getting value for money, on the one hand, and that students are getting the maximum possible benefit, on the other. I sometimes worry when money is given out in the absence of strict performance criteria. I would like the money that is being allocated to unlock the greatest possible benefit for the students who will derive that benefit.

See this speech in context