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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 132 and 160 together.

The discussion document in question has been circulated to the higher education institutions by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, to form a basis for further engagement with institutions on an outline configuration for the future higher education system and is not intended to be definitive. I do not propose to comment on specific details of the paper in that respect as it is a further stage in the landscape process being undertaken by the HEA. Following the institutional submissions on their future strategic fit within the system and the commission by the HEA of a range of expert analyses and this further engagement, the authority will return formal advice in March 2013 on the optimal configuration for the future system for my careful consideration.

See this speech in context