Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

That is enormously important. I think we are losing that, in particular we are losing the ability to be able to critically analyse things, which is what is needed for the workforce. It is also what is needed on one's journey through education and in life.

I have a couple of questions so I will move on. In the 180 pages of the Bill there is no reference to trade unions. At a time when we have seen the rapid expansion of precarious work in the higher education sector, it is alarming that there seems to be an attempt to sideline trade unions. What is the current role of trade unions in higher education governance and what would the witnesses like to see in the Bill?