Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have no doubt but that there is commitment to the principles but I ask the Minister to show us the money. While an additional €40 million is welcome, no timeframe has been indicated as to when the critical issue of long-term underfunding is going to be addressed. He accepted that the level of underfunding is now of the order of €307 million but as yet no timeframe has been indicated for that to be resolved. Precisely as the Minister responded, we know this sector is going to be critical to the country's long-term development. We are continuing to expand places and not only for school leavers. We are all going to have to continue to upskill and reskill. That is not only a matter for our universities and higher education institutions but also for FET facilities. To achieve that, we must ensure there is real investment. I would have hoped for a clearer timeframe for achieving what was set out in Funding the Future.