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

I move amendment No. 13:

In page 15, between lines 32 and 33, to insert the following: “(d) to protect and enhance the public nature of the higher education system;”.

The principle behind this amendment is the most important point we would like to see reflected in the Bill. Nowhere in the Bill makes any reference to the public nature of our higher education system. The value of having a public education system cannot be overstated and the public nature of same should also not be taken for granted. We have seen the wholesale commercialisation of higher education over the last ten years and in some cases we have seen piecemeal privatisation. Most people would be shocked to find out that more than one third of the primary school teachers we train come from a single for-profit private college and that the same college is moving into nursing this year. People would also be shocked to find out that we provide millions of euro in funding to private colleges through competitive funding.

This represents a chance to draw a line in the sand. This limited reference to the public sector in the general scheme was taken out and in the Minister's briefing note on the Bill he highlighted the Bill's role in providing a pathway for private colleges to become designated institutes for higher education, which we discussed in the previous meeting. This is also included in the Long Title as one of the key aims of the Bill. I understand that nothing in this Bill specifically states that designated institutes of higher education will be entitled to public funding and having met the Minister's officials to discuss this, they assured me this was not the intention. However the Bill is full of references to the HEA's role in supporting designated institutes of higher education. I believe this creates a huge grey area. Once private colleges become designated institutes of higher education, they will want State funding. They already get roughly €20 million per year of public funding and their case will only be made stronger by this Bill as it stands.

We want the public nature of the higher education system to be referenced and protected in the Bill in order to remove that ambiguity and place a strong emphasis on the importance of maintaining a public higher education system.