Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the large number of Deputies who participated in the debate. I thank the Opposition parties for their indication that they will support the Bill. Amendments will be put forward, as indicated by Sinn Féin. I welcome the general support for the Bill.

The title, the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2014, meant a wide range of issues were raised that are probably outside the scope of the Bill but, as always with a debate on education, there are issues about which Deputies have a lot of knowledge and passion, and these all are important issues. Deputy Penrose, in being the final speaker, widened the debate considerably, even talking about eradicating world poverty and the role of education in addressing inequality, not only in Ireland but in other parts of the world.

I will address some of the issues raised. A number of Deputies raised the importance of maintaining high standards. This is very much part of the central issue in the Bill, namely, the criteria provided in it for using the term "university". As Deputies have said, the criteria are robust. It is a high standard that has to be reached. Deputy O'Brien raised an issue that I want to clarify in that regard. The provisions of the Bill only allow use of the term "university" outside of the State.

The issue of having an international education strategy was raised by Deputy Cowen. I want to clarify that the current strategy is from 2010 to 2015 and we will be working on a new strategy to cover the period 2016 to 2020 during second half of this year.

A number of Deputies also raised the issue of sustainable of funding. The last speaker, Deputy Penrose, strongly advocated for the retention of free fees for higher education in Ireland. We all fought hard for that, and Deputy Penrose had a central role in that regard. The previous Minister, Deputy Quinn, appointed an expert group in July 2014 to examine the future funding policy for higher education, and Mr. Peter Cassells is its chairperson. Mr. Cassells will report to me by the end of the year. We will be looking at the area of the sustainability of funding at higher education level.

On further education, the issue of ensuring that students in post-leaving certificate courses can qualify for student grants is an important element. Deputy Conaghan referred to that, as did other Deputies. We are putting this specific measure in the Bill to ensure that, under the establishment of SOLAS, PLC students will be able to qualify. I agree with what has been said about the importance of PLC colleges and the contribution they make. Deputy Conaghan referred to Ballyfermot and its former students' success at the Oscars. Deputy Moynihan referred to the success of Irish students and the winners this year of the young scientist exhibition. On the world stage, Irish students who succeed in the young scientist exhibition do particularly well.

I agree with a number of Deputies who referred to the importance of ensuring that students who come to Ireland from abroad have a good and positive experience. Deputy Penrose referred to the court case that has slowed down the measures the Minister for Justice and Equality, Deputy Frances Fitzgerald, and I are introducing to ensure there is high-quality provision, particularly in the English language programmes. We had originally intended to have those provisions in earlier but when the court case was taken, we had to delay the implementation. Notwithstanding the decision of the High Court, the need for reform remains as strong as ever and it is important to demonstrate that the Government will not be diverted from its objective of ensuring that we protect students from being brought to Ireland for purposes other than education and that we protect the reputation of Ireland as a place where students can come to learn. A revised draft strategy has been drawn up in terms of a response to the judgment together with a series of measures that will deliver on the reform agenda. We intend that the revised arrangements, when finalised, will be brought to Government for approval. The intention is that we will implement the original proposals to ensure that only the highest quality is acceptable and, therefore, that our reputation abroad is protected.

A number of Deputies referred to internationalisation of higher education generally. Deputy Finian McGrath gave us interesting figures. He stated there was a big increase in the number of PhD students coming to Ireland as international students and he also referred to the STEM subjects, to which other Deputies referred as well. We have, for example, a programme, called science without frontiers, which brings a lot of students in the STEM area to Ireland, and they go all round the country. They do not only go to the universities. They go to the institutes of technology as well.

I was going to mention briefly the issue of the technological universities, the south-east issue and the Cork IT-Tralee IT merger.

We dealt with the institutes of technology in Cork and Tralee in the course of the Topical Issues debate earlier. Deputy Halligan raised the issue of Waterford Institute of Technology. Deputies will be aware that I appointed Michael Kelly to lead the process of consultation with regional stakeholders, Government bodies, staff and students in both Waterford and Carlow. I reiterate that consultation is important because Deputy Michael Moynihan and others referred to the importance of consulting staff and everyone involved. There is an expert panel and clear pathways. There is transparency, and that has been the case from the start, in terms of what is required to reach the various steps on the road to becoming a technological university. Good communication is essential to the process. The importance of engaging with the various stakeholders is a message that has been conveyed by the HEA and the Department.

I will refer briefly to a few other areas raised by Deputies. We will return to the specifics on Committee Stage. Deputy Jonathan O’Brien raised issues about Student Universal Support Ireland. He intends to table amendments in that regard and we will get an opportunity then to discuss matters more fully. I have dealt with the issues raised by Deputy Finian McGrath and Deputy John Halligan. Deputy Patrick O’Donovan raised issues relating to second level education. We wish to encourage students at that level. Many of the issues raised relate to partnership. When I was in China, for example, memoranda of understanding were signed between institutions in Ireland and institutions in China. The same happened when the Minister of State, Deputy Damien English, went to India. In some cases Irish students travel to those countries and arrangements are made whereby they spend a certain amount of time in both countries. It is very much a case of partnership. When I was in Shanghai, a number of post-primary school principals were present and there was a twinning between a school in Cork and one in Shanghai. A lot is happening at that level as well.

A number of other Deputies referred to regions, including Deputy Penrose, who referred to Athlone Institute of Technology. Deputy Seán Kyne spoke about the north west and Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick spoke about the north east. While the main focus has been on the areas where technological university status is being sought, it is important to stress the role of institutes of technology and other higher education institutions in the regions. Ballyfermot College of Further Education is another example of that, albeit at post-leaving certificate level.

We will tease out some of the specifics on the issues raised when we get to Committee Stage. Overall, we have had a good broad debate on a number of educational issues. I thank all of the Deputies for their support. Each of the three measures in the Bill is important in its own area. The measures will improve the situation in terms of international education with the opportunity to use the term “university”, in terms of clarifying access to grants for PLC students and, a measure that has received almost full support, namely, the fact that the information that is made available under freedom of information does not facilitate league tables. There is a general view that, overall, while some people might want it, the use of league tables has a detrimental effect overall in terms of the provision of education, in particular in terms of ensuring equality of access and that we do not in any way undermine the education system. I thank Members and commend the Bill to the House.

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