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

There is a considerable amount of duplication and overlapping within the system. There are 39 institutions, 14 of which are institutes of technology and seven of which are universities. Many of them offer similar courses at a time when different institutes or universities could specialise. My Department is trying to get them to quantify, through the Higher Education Authority, what will be the savings in this regard. That study has not been completed and when it is complete - when I use the word "complete", I am talking about the next six months - I will bring to the floor of this Chamber legislation that will enable me or any successor Minister for Education and Skills to incentivise universities to come together, collaborate and achieve economic savings they can retain for themselves. This is not a cost-cutting exercise as it is to be hoped a point has been reached in the budgetary process whereby we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel in that regard. However, there is significant overlap and there is the suggestion of waste and duplication. I want to get to the ground floor in that regard before beginning to consider the funding of those institutions. As to whether I will do it over the next 12 months, that is my intention.

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