Marc Ó Cathasaigh (Waterford, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 10:

In page 15, line 31, after “performance” to insert “, improve transparency with regard to private funding streams,”.

All three amendments are mine. The central word in each of the amendments is “transparency”. A matter being discussed by the committee at the moment is the future funding of third-level education. We all acknowledge that there needs to be improved funding at third level, and while the State does make a very significant contribution to third-level institutions in this country, it is not the exclusive funder of third-level education. We have a responsibility in paying over money to third-level institutions to make sure that the values of this State are reflected in how the money is spent. For that reason, there should be an obligation on third-level institutions to provide details of transparency or from whence their other funding is derived so that the State can be happy that the values behind the other funding sources are commensurate with the values of the State.

Amendment No. 10 is a very simple one. It proposes that after the word "performance" to insert "improve transparency with regard to private funding streams". If I am honest, I would prefer if it had even more teeth than it currently does. It strikes me as an innocuous enough amendment at the moment.

Amendments Nos. 100 and 102 are perhaps more detailed. Amendment No. 100 refers to "including disaggregated data regarding private and public funding sources, and funding streams from entities outside of the designated higher education institutions that operate substantially for the benefit or under the auspices of the institutions, both inside and outside the State". The reference to "outside of the State" is important in terms of knowing where the money is coming from.

Amendment No. 102 refers to "a transparent, ethical framework for selection or acceptance of private funding streams". That again is about ensuring that the funding that arrives into third-level institutions that complements the funding given by the State should be commensurate with the values of this State. In one way or another, these three amendments go towards making those changes within the Bill.