Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

That is true, it is not bad by the usual standards of the Department. Nevertheless, it is extraordinary that it should take three years to put on a legislative footing a proposal that enjoys cross-party support. In future, decisions of Government should run parallel with amendments to primary legislation. This is not an extensive Bill and it could have been put together in half a day. That it took three years raises many questions for the Department of Education and Science.

The Bill proposes a substantial increase in funding for this initiative, to €20 million from the original allocation of IR£2 million in 1999. Therefore, the Bill is deserving of some scrutiny before it passes all Stages. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary work of former Senator George Mitchell in chairing the multi-party talks which led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, which was the starting point for the new political dispensation on this island and between these islands. I applaud the Government for bringing forward the idea of celebrating his work through scholarships for high-calibre United States students who choose to study in this country. That was a good idea and it is right that we should extend it now.

We should bear in mind that higher education is a global business. The programme is good for Ireland and for the United States citizens involved. It affords us an opportunity to sell the country and the opportunities that exist here at a time when we need friends in the world as never before. It is absolutely right that Ireland should give something back in return for the extraordinary contribution of financial support, mentoring and direct political intervention from successive United States Administrations. That commitment was epitomised in the extraordinary public service of Mr. Mitchell in his work on behalf of the United States Government and all Irish-Americans through his extremely constructive role in the multi-party talks.

For far too long the political engagement between Ireland and the United States has focused on the politics of Northern Ireland and on seeking to resolve the historical problems there. We now have an opportunity to offer a new generation of young United States citizens with an interest in Ireland an opportunity to be welcomed by this country. These high calibre students will eventually become ambassadors for Ireland as we seek to work through the greatly difficult economic times we are experiencing. It is also important for our institutions and universities. I have spoken to many university presidents who tell me the presence of international students in courses is important to our own higher education establishments because it offers an opportunity for an exchange of ideas and to see the products of other higher education systems, a positive thing. We must extend this across the entire spectrum of international higher education.

An idea the Minister might take on board that did not exist in the legislation in 1999 is that the Government might specify, through the Department of Education and Science, the kind of graduates we want to come to Ireland for the foreseeable future. It might be an idea to say that, as a policy objective, for the next few years we might focus on business or economics graduates from the US.

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