James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)

I welcome the Bill, but we will be putting down a number of amendments to it. There are provisions in it with which we are not happy. We should look after people who are taking part-time evening degree courses. I would like to see such people facilitated in this Bill. I am not happy with the decision to halve the number of grant-awarding authorities from 66 to 33. I oppose this decision. Over the years, the two bodies which administer grants in County Westmeath in my constituency have competed to see which of them would issue grants first. Students are the only beneficiaries of such competition.

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