Olwyn Enright (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 5:

In page 9, line 1, to delete "Director" and substitute "President".

While the Minister tabled an amendment on Committee Stage to the effect that discussion with the Minister will be allowed to decide on a title, such a provision might be too flexible. The Minister will have discretion, but I would not like a system to develop whereby people could have any title they wished.

A number of institutes have requested that the title of president be used because the title of director abroad, especially in the United States, is usually that of a head of a department, normally a research department, rather than the overall head of the institute. To have proper international recognition of institutes of technology, the title of president is more readily recognisable abroad. For that reason, I have tabled this amendment.

It may be important to have a degree of flexibility because there may be institutes that wish to retain the title of director, but it would be preferable for all institutes to operate on a similar basis and with similar titles. As such, when we compete internationally, the role of the president of an institute of technology is immediately apparent.

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