Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Our business today is to consider the motion relating to the Technological Universities Act 2018 (Section 36) (Appointed Day) Order 2020, copies of which were laid before Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann on 28 October 2020. On behalf of the committee, I welcome the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Deputy Harris, the Minister of State at the Department, Deputy Niall Collins, and their officials. I will invite the Minister to make as brief as possible an opening statement and then members can ask questions. As the Ministers are probably aware, the committee will publish the opening statement on its website following the meeting.

Before we begin, I remind Members of the long-standing parliamentary practice to the effect that they should not comment on, criticise or make charges against a person outside the House or an official either by name or in such a way as to make him or her identifiable.

We want to conclude the meeting quickly in order to comply with Covid restrictions. This meeting is solely to legislate for the date of the commencement of the Munster Technological University and is essentially a technical motion. Members will have the opportunity to raise substantive issues about the Munster Technological University if they wish with the Technological Higher Education Association at the meeting scheduled for 3 December and future engagements with the Minister. I asked the Minister to appear before the committee very early in 2021 to discuss technological universities. I invite him to make his opening statement.