This week, in Carlow, we received the news that Carlow College will wind down operation as a third level institution over the course of the next two years. This came as a tremendous shock to the 87 members of staff who went into work on Tuesday only to find out that they are losing their jobs. While consultation is under way, staff need clarity and they need it now. One staff member said to me that this is not just a job to us; it is their life's work. They have given years and, for some of them, decades to this college and now they are being asked to walk away without knowing how they will support their families or what comes next.

I would like it placed on the record of the Dáil that it is my strong view that statutory redundancy alone is not enough in the case of Carlow College. These staff members are dedicated, skilled people who deserve more than the minimum. They deserve a fair, enhanced package that reflects their contribution and supports them through this transition.

I am relieved that the campus and buildings are to be transferred to South East Technological University, SETU, so we will see lots of life in those lovely buildings for years to come. That is a positive in the long term. However, for now, my focus remains with the staff of Carlow College. I thank them for all their service and dedication to third level education in Ireland. Could the Minister support these workers who are losing their jobs?

The over-riding priority needs to be two things, and I know the Deputy will agree with this. First, we need to ensure the students currently in the college can complete their studies. I have been given assurances that that will continue. The agreed approach is to support Carlow College in delivering the existing programmes through to their completion to August 2028. Second, as the Deputy rightly said, we have excellent people who have been working there for many years and we need to make sure they are supported. I know the Minister has been engaging directly with the college because of the fact that it is a private, autonomous institution outside of the publicly funded higher education system. While there is a need to respect its autonomy, we need to make sure we support such highly skilled, educated and trained people and professionals, who have been imparting their knowledge to students for years, to apply for competitions to fill vacancies in situ that they will be working closely with, or to examine what other opportunities may be available to them. I can relay the concerns the Deputy has raised directly to the Minister.