Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Murnane O'Connor for raising this issue. It is quite interesting, particularly for the Carlow area. I am asking this question for my own clarity because I am new in this role. Something that comes up frequently with regard to the technological universities is the lack of clarity regarding borrowing and whether it will be on the Government balance sheets. Why are the technological universities not considered independent for borrowing purposes in the same way as other universities? Now that so many areas have the exciting opportunity of having a university and students want to come along, there will be greater pressures in terms of accommodation.

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