81. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to carry out a full review of the technological universities to ensure that they are reaching the targets set out for them when they were established. [49642/26]

Sentiment score: 0.24

Will the Minister carry out a full review of technological universities to ensure that they are reaching the targets set out for them when they were established?

Sentiment score: 0.53

I am not sure if the Minister is familiar with the recent report published by two Munster Technological University researchers. When asked if Irish TUs are failing, they concluded that the Irish TU project has been characterised by financial pressure, the death of regional provision in higher education, mission drift and confused policymaking, and that it has failed to meet any key targets. I acknowledge a lot of this was carried out before the Department of further and higher education was even established but it is still important to reflect on the success or failure of the concept. Reading the report, the Higher Education Authority, HEA, was set on forcing IoT mergers through impoverishment of smaller institutions, and that there was a drop of 38% in State funding. Academic staff issues were largely ignored. There was very little meaningful engagement. In their applications for TU designation, all consortia stated that they expected increased student numbers and all except Technological University Dublin, TUD, stated that they expected an extra increase over the short term due to TU designation but this bounce never came to pass.

Sentiment score: -0.05

As I said, this all started before this Department was created but there are a few outstanding questions. There is a difference in the salaries of TU graduates compared with those from the university sector. A total of €363 million was spent. Does the Minister think that represents value for money? The Minister talked about research students, but there is a difference in this regard. Smaller institutions seem to be losing out while the larger ones seem to be gaining in some cases. That causes implications for the balance of power within the university sector and poses significant challenges to regional provision. There are questions around fees for consultants. It is a massive issue, particularly when some consultants were appointed outside the procurement process. Some of them were former senior Government authorities, appointed to the very institutions they were responsible for regulating. A report on the whole needs to be looked at.

Sentiment score: 0.16

83. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to review the issue of commuter student terminology; and to recognise the poor experience of many commuter students in the higher education system. [49643/26]

Sentiment score: -0.04

Will the Minister initiate a discussion around commuter student terminology? Will he recognise the poor experience of the many commuter students in the higher education system?

Sentiment score: -0.24

I take this opportunity to mention a study by Professor Liz Thomas that was informed by a commitment to institutional change rather than just expecting commuter students to fit in with unreformed higher education institutions, HEIs, which states: This would be facilitated by an institutional enabling environment which involves aligning institutional policies, processes and organisations, and engaging with stakeholders from senior leadership to staff and students around a shared goal of an inclusive experience and equitable outcomes ... I have spoken to students about this. I spoke to students at Jigsaw yesterday who informed me that they feel that nobody seems to be talking or speaking to them about this and that they want to be recognised as a group. They said it is a burning issue for them. One of the issues they spoke about was having to get public transport at times that do not match up with their lectures. They get to college very early and do not get home until late at night. They have to leave early. The Minister says he wants them to enjoy the whole college experience, but they are not able to do this. Because of the issue with buses, some of them are missing lectures. There is a poor outcome in some data which shows that those making long commutes are suffering.

Sentiment score: 0.02

I very much welcome the NTA, local councils and students being brought together. That is going to be very positive in terms of helping those who are commuting. The TU students' union also brought out a report. It states that approximately 25% of students say they have to commute for two hours or more. When I spoke to students about having to commute on buses for that length of time, we discussed whether they could use it as study time. However, it emerged that travel sickness would prevent some people using it for that purpose. That is on top of everything else. It will be great if that group works out and if helps students, because then will then be able to enjoy some of the overall college experience. At the end of the day, however, as the Minister mentioned earlier, the lack of student and affordable accommodation is an issue, particularly when it comes to trying to resolve the situation in its entirety.

Sentiment score: 0.27