Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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This legislation is a high priority for the Government and is important and ground-breaking legislation. The Bill is seeking to establish technological universities for the first time in Ireland and that constitutes a step change for the institute of technology sector and will underpin the development of a new type of higher education institution. The Bill had been agreed on Committee Stage previously but following the dissolution of the Thirty-first Dáil my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Bruton, undertook to consult with stakeholders on the provisions in the Bill and the rationale for the approach to the development of technological universities. As part of that process a clarification document was subsequently agreed between the Department, the Teachers' Union of Ireland, TUI, and the Technological Higher Education Association. TUI members voted to accept the agreement in June 2017 and suspended its industrial action in relation to the development of the technological universities. A clarification document was also provided to IMPACT as part of this process. The establishment of the technological universities will strengthen the skills, research and innovation capacity in the regions and support economic and social development.

Before we discuss the amendments circulated for today I would like to notify the committee that I am also finalising additional amendments which I propose to table on Report Stage. With your permission, Chairperson, and in the interests of ensuring fairness and respect to the committee I will mention them briefly. I intend on Report Stage, subject to the advice of the Attorney General and Government approval, to bring forward amendments to provide the Minister for Education and Skills with a new power to appoint an investigator to publicly funded higher education institutions. The provision will also require a consequential amendment to the Long Title of the Bill.