Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

As I said, I will outline my approach to the documents that have now entered the public domain to the main stakeholders at a meeting on Thursday. The Higher Education Authority will have until the beginning of March 2013 to finalise its response to the submissions it has received and the documentation that has already come in. In addition, I will confirm and elaborate on the national policy on Thursday.

Effectively, from March until the end of 2013, I envisage all those institutions will consider the recommendations for greater collaboration, regional clusters and possible comings together in a manner that would enhance and improve the educational infrastructure. My unashamed preference is to see voluntary co-operation and collaboration at a local level, rather than a talking-down from the top telling institution X to merge with institution Y. I do not believe any Member would recommend such a process. However, if at the end of next year, what comes back is unsatisfactory, I then will have no option but to start to take a more direct hand in guiding and cajoling institutions to cease duplication of courses or to co-operate more effectively. When that point is reached, one will then the real cost of providing quality third level education and the gap in funding. Thereafter, we must address how that will be funded.

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