Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)

If secondary schools along the Border do not meet the minimum threshold of 500 students, they will also close. The rationale and philosophy of the Sinn Féin mantra in Northern Ireland is, if I am not mistaken, a form of austerity, which is a word much used in this House. It is important for us to engage on the ground because we have schools south of the Border that will not be closed. We have rural primary and secondary schools that we will not close. We must examine the potential of synergy on a North-South basis, where there will be a movement of people from North to the South to avail of services.

If that will happen at primary and secondary level, we must be prepared for what will happen at university level. It is sad that only 1% of all students in university in the South of Ireland come from Northern Ireland. That is a small percentage and the corollary is that only 3% of students in Northern Ireland are from the Republic. It is a poor reflection on the movement of people on a North-South basis.

I am digressing from the Bill. If there are any changes at primary and second level, we must prepare for changes at third level. Provisions in the Bill examine international codes of practice and should also include examining areas of co-operation on a North-South basis. Education linkages and synergy are integral to the Good Friday Agreement.

I cite the example of families in my constituency whose children attend Magee University. They will receive the maintenance grants, but they will have to pay their fees themselves. We should consider ways of achieving a reciprocal relationship between North and South so that students from the South would be encouraged to study in the North rather than going to Liverpool or Glasgow, for example. Incentives should be devised to encourage students to study in Ireland, North and South. I cite an example from my constituency of a father who will have to find €3,000 in fees in order to send his daughter to study 15 miles away in a university in Derry. People hear the talk about cross-Border co-operation, but they do not see the results on the ground.

Primary and second level schools are closing in Northern Ireland. Two schools closed in Armagh in January. Secondary schools which do not meet the minimum threshold of 500 students are being closed. It is time to prepare for the next stage of North-South integration and this must include an integration of university qualifications.

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