Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)

That job of work is being done in exceptionally good measure by many of the same universities which are in the top 100 by international standards and more power to them. What is happening here is that people in these universities, who are in the public sector, are getting away with murder and the Government is letting them away with it. This goes back to 1997; the Department and the Higher Education Authority knew and year after year letters were sent from the HEA to university heads stating that payments needed the sanction of the Minister and that they were unlawful. As the HEA stated, what part of "No" did these people not understand?

Are there implications arising from the Government's lack of control over all the public service quangos throughout the country? A person in Coillte receives €450,000 a year, and the chief executive of the Dublin Airport Authority receives €750,000 when all of the bonuses are added in. The public sector is out of control and is not being held accountable while the people at the bottom in education cannot afford to pay for their books or find the €1,500 required for third-level registration. Does the Minister of State not think he and the Government ought to be ashamed of themselves for their lack of control and authority in this basic issue?

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