Dr. Joseph Ryan:

I am happy to start with some of those answers if that is agreeable. I thank Senator Dolan for the questions and for her constant support for the education agenda, which we very much appreciate.

I will take two of them. Looking at the original Act, it could almost be fit on one page. It is an indication of the scope and importance of higher education now that the Act is the size it is. I fully agree with Deputy Conway-Walsh's comments earlier that getting this right is the critical thing. On ownership and balanced representation, take the technical university of the Shannon or the Connaught Ulster alliance and its scope, local ownership of these institutions will be critical. Balance has been mentioned a number of times. Between trying to get very focused governing bodies but also those which people have a sense of ownership over will be critical. Geography comes into that as well.

I mentioned the practical difficulties at governing body level of people in committees. If one makes it too narrow, one does not get the many committees that are required to make these effective organisations.