Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses. All of the submissions and statements were extremely useful and also challenging, both to the committee and I am sure to the Department of Education and Skills and the Minister as well. I will make a couple of points before I go to members.

DCU is on the record as saying it does not favour the quota system. Could Dr. Looney speak briefly about that? Could I also have her thoughts on Dr. Rowland's idea that we would have remote classes via video. I did a postgraduate course where that worked really well but it was never my vision of education. I would like to have a little to and fro discussion on that point which is not something I had envisaged coming in very quickly.

The statements by the Joint Managerial Body by Fr. Connell, John Irwin and also by Joanne Irwin speak for themselves. They are really stark. I do not have specific questions but that is not to say I do not take their submissions seriously. I am sure the other members will have questions but the statements were self explanatory. I might ask those speakers to address those points before I seek questions from other members.