Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)

Sorry, bhí sí i Má Nuad. Tá cuimhne agam ar sin anois. Bhí mo chara, an príomhoide i bpobalscoil Ghaoth Dobhair, Noel Ó Gallachóir, ina cuideachta. If I may diverge for a moment he is still awaiting his halla spóirt up there. I know the Minister will be going there on 16 May. B'fhéidir go mbeidh deascéal ag an Aire fána choinne an lá sin. Má bhíonn, beidh fáilte roimpi.

I was fortunate back in the 1960s to have been teaching during the day and studying at university at night. The fees at that time were IR£20 per term. I do not know what they are now, but at least they have been abolished for students. There were two views on that issue. Nobody pays fees now. Third level education is free for everyone. Some still maintain that fees should be reintroduced for some students and that a person earning more than €100,000 should have to pay fees for his or her children and that such fees could be used for the benefit of university. It is a controversial area but it is probably one we cannot ignore, if we are going to finance our universities to ensure they can compete with the best in the world.

I do not want to repeat what has already been said, most of which I agree with, but I wish to raise the matter of continuing in education. Some people obtain their primary degree and then go on to complete a master's degree, which is funded as well, if the person qualified for a grant initially. Occasionally, those who complete a master's degree want to go on to complete a higher diploma, known as a H.Dip. However, they will not be funded for the H.Dip., as I understand it. In that scenario, a higher diploma is not considered to be a continuation of education. A H.Dip. is placed on a par with a master's degree and students can only receive funding for one or the other course.

I do not know if that discrepancy still exists but students from my area needed funding to continue their education but could not obtain funding for a H.Dip. because they had already received funding for their master's degree and vice versa. I hope I am right in referring to this issue. Perhaps the situation has changed. This is an area that the Minister could examine, having gone through the education system herself and qualified as a teacher. There may not be many people involved but to deprive even one person of the opportunity of continuing in education is wrong. It is worth examining the situation and rectifying it, if necessary.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an Bille seo. Tá sé thar am go dtáinig sé isteach. Tá súil agam go mbeidh na soláthairtí ann i réimeas don scoil bhliain amach romhainn, 2008, agus ina dhiaidh sin.

We now have gaelscoileanna and gael choláisti and people who complete primary and post-primary education through Irish should have the opportunity to continue into third level in Irish. That option is available in Wales and I see no reason that it should not be available here too. In the past, Irish was a prerequisite to be a member of the staff in NUI Galway. That is no longer the case but we should not deprive students from Gaeltacht areas and those who have been educated through Irish of the chance of obtaining a third level qualification through Irish. There is a vacuum there. I know the Minister is favourably disposed to the Irish language. Is cainteoir líofa í féin. B'fhéidir gur sin áit ar cóir dúinn ár n-aire a dhíriú to rectify any shortage that may exist in that area.

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