Institutes of Technology

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 October 2016

Tuesday, 11 October 2016

Questions (153)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

153. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department favours putting in place a borrowing framework for institutes of technology or for technological universities that give institutes autonomous borrowing powers outside of general government; if his Department is of the view that it would be legally possible to put such an autonomous borrowing framework in place under Eurostat rules; and the work which is ongoing within his Department on preparing a new borrowing framework for institutes of technology. [29713/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy may be aware, Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are classified as within General Government for Eurostat purposes. This arises primarily due to the smaller level of income received by IoTs from non-State sources as against the Universities which have a higher proportion.

The Deputy will appreciate, the recent economic crisis and continuing constraints on Government as a result of EU fiscal rules on expenditure and debt levels has to date prevented the agreement of a borrowing framework for IoTs. However, my Department is continuing to discuss with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform the possibility of agreeing a borrowing framework as part of broader deliberations arising from the report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education.