My party leader raised the financing of institutes of technology, but there is a bigger issue as well. There is no plan or vision from the Government for the third level sector. The Action Plan for Education was published some months ago and it contains only two lines about third level funding. There were a further two lines in the budget stating that a funding plan for third level education would be put in place. Part of the ranking assessments take account of the reputational issues of universities. Another matter that is taken into account is whether there is a sense that the Government has a vision for third level education and provides support for it. The perception abroad is that the Government has no interest whatsoever in the third level sector. We had to fight hard to get the little amount of funding the Government has granted to it. The Government must get a grip and draft a vision and a plan, because there is nothing in the Action Plan for Education and it affects the future of the country.

The Deputy is correct that his party leader raised that issue during Leaders' Questions. This is the first time in nine years that a significant investment has been made in the third level sector. It is almost €40 million. Not two sentences but two full paragraphs in the Minister's speech were about third level education. It is the intention of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, to bring forward a strategy for long-term sustainable investment in the third level sector by the middle of next year. The House must discuss the realistic issues involved in capital investment for third level education. It is a critical issue with regard to the type of opportunities that will arise in the future in the context of the new advances in artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics and other such areas where Ireland can be a world leader. That requires a very strong third level sector but, unfortunately, due to lack of investment in the past, that did not happen. It is starting now with an initial allocation of €39.5 million.