A report has found that almost half of the Institutes of Technology in Ireland are facing serious financial challenges.
The report, which was carried out by the Higher Education Authority, involved 14 ITs in Ireland.
It found that six of these - Waterford, Dundalk, Galway-Mayo, Tralee, Cork and Letterkenny - face "immediate sustainability challenges".
A further four Institutes of Technology are at risk due to a lack of resources.
The findings also show that funding is a major concern across the sector.
Cash balances for all ITs fell by €71m in the three years between 2013 and 2016.
That figure is expected to decrease by a further €31m to €116m by late next year.
Previous figures show State grants for the sector dropped by 34% between 2008 and 2015, while student numbers grew by 24%.
The report also found that pay amounts to almost 80% of total expenditure in an institute, despite staffing levels falling by 12% since 2008.
Higher Education Authority Head of System Funding Andrew Brownlee said that additional investment is needed in both ITs and universities, whether it comes from Government, student fees or from industry.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said reductions in staff had helped in some institutes, but said the overall reduction in funding was continuing to have an impact.
The fundamental reason to undertake the review, Mr Brownlee said, was to "protect and build on the transformative impact and legacy" of the Institutes of Technology in this country.
He said ITs had played a generational role in bringing more people into third-level education.
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