I propose to take Questions Nos. 289 and 290 together.
My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions, including the Universities and Institutes of Technology. The HEA allocates this funding to the institutions and the internal disbursement of that funding is then a matter for the individual institution.
These institutions are autonomous bodies and are responsible for their own day to day affairs, including the allocation of all of its income (both public and private) and in relation to any legal issues which the institution is involved in.