Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Many of the questions have been answered, but I wish to make some comments. That the committee can engage in a pre-legislative process is a welcome development. I thank the delegates for coming before the committee and their contributions. This process gives interested stakeholders an opportunity to flag their concerns, wishes, dissatisfaction and satisfaction with the legislative proposals. The involvement of the students' unions is particularly welcome. There are many vested interests, some of which have greater strength than others with regard to numbers, advisers and the mechanisms available. I consider the students as having a vested interest and they should have a higher profile. I welcome the contribution they have made today. The avenues through which their participation can be strengthened were listed and I support many of them.

The funding issue is a little like world peace; we all support world peace and increased funding for the third level sector. The question we must face is from where we will take it. The Bill aims to find greater efficiencies and eliminate duplication in the system. This will increase funding by one means or another.

It must be acknowledged that this is the motivation for much of what we are doing. I would be delighted to see a further increase, but we have broader responsibilities and must ask tougher questions about from where funding will be taken to be invested in third level education. This is not for one second to say third level education is not worthy of that funding.

The plans for the south east were not addressed. It is a commitment-----