Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have read the recommendations and endorse much of what Deputy Smith said. We cannot do the job of the witnesses but they can tell us what we can do to make their jobs better and easier. The witnesses can decode No. 9 as a very polite way of saying: "Let us not offend them". However, if the witnesses do not tell us the truth, we cannot fix it. There are silos and complications and we are not getting the best return.

Would the following suggestions help in the area of education? I was very concerned to hear the comments by Mr. Nevin on the closing down of the UCC Asia programme, with which I was not familiar but which is essential. Enterprise Ireland was given responsibility for promoting Irish education abroad by the then Minister, Batt O'Keeffe. It was a good decision at the time and I supported it in opposition and in government. How do we say that at one level and say to the seven universities and the institutes of technology, particularly the bigger ones, that they must co-ordinate activities and co-operate rather than compete? How do we say to UCC that it should concentrate on south-east China? The market is so big. How do the witnesses suggest we, as politicians, the Minister for Education and Skills and Enterprise Ireland reach an agreement with third level institutions that this vast market of over a couple of billion people be carved up in a systematic way? In this way, Trinity College, Dublin and UCC would have a certain area. Is that what the witnesses are asking us to do? How could it be done within reason? How do we maximise efficiency and respect the right of people to make individual choices if they see an opportunity?

The Departments of Justice and Equality and Education and Skills, particularly the former, have set the criteria for bogus English language colleges in Ireland. These were backdoor access to a rich European market and nothing else. The message has got through. That side of it has been cleared up. There is a vast demand in the emerging middle class of ASEAN countries for quality European English language education for their teenage children or young adult children at third level. What barriers exist in access to visas and speed of visa applications? What can we do, given that we have an enormously positive product in Irish education to export? There is a hunger and a demand for it. What barriers exist? If the witnesses can bring them to our notice, we can remove or streamline them to remove the irritation.