Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 4, line 20, to delete "granting the university authorisation" and substitute "subject to subsection (6), granting the university authorisation".

As Deputies will be aware, the purpose of sections 2 to 5, inclusive, is to provide for the authorisation by the Minister of the use of the description of "university" by a high quality education provider for specified purposes outside the State only. The use of the description is restricted in its geographical application and the purpose for which it can be used. Use of the description is restricted to outside the State and for the following purposes: to market programmes of education and training provided by the authorised provider or research services of the authorised provider; and to enter into an arrangement with any person outside the State for the purpose of participating in a collaborative project relating to the provision of programmes of education, training or research services.

Section 3 provides for the review of the authorisation for use of the description by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, while section 4 provides for the withdrawal of the authorisation by the Minister on the grounds that it is not being used for its specified purposes or that the provider no longer fulfils the qualifying criteria for the application. Section 5 provides for an appeals board to hear appeals relating to the Minister's decision to refuse a grant of authorisation or to withdraw an authorisation.

Following on from the discussion in the Seanad, amendments Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, are being introduced to allow the Minister, when granting a university authorisation, to impose such additional conditions on the provider concerned as the Minister believes appropriate. The provider will be required to comply with these conditions, although amendment No. 3 provides that the provider can appeal against the imposition of these conditions to the appeals board provided for under section 5. Amendment No. 4 provides that a review carried out by an tÚdarás under section 3 of the Bill will include a review of the provider's compliance with any condition imposed by the Minister and provides that the Minister can direct a provider to comply with the conditions imposed by him or her. Therefore, the amendments will allow the Minister to put in place additional safeguards to ensure any provider that receives university authorisation is operating to the highest standards. We are honouring the commitment we gave during the debate in the Seanad to do this.