Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The Technological Universities Bill, which was before the last Dáil and which is a critical piece of legislation in regard to the future of the institutes of technology, has been languishing for over 12 months now, with absolutely no progress in terms of bringing it to this House and having it passed. I said to the Taoiseach when we met some weeks ago that this is legislation we are prepared to engage on and compromise on, with a view to getting it through before the summer recess. It is my view that if we do not move on this, then paralysis will set in with regard to the ongoing development of the technological universities sector, which is so critical to economic development in this country and to the future of the institutes concerned. Will the Taoiseach indicate to the House when we are likely to see that legislation brought forward and the prospects of having it delivered through the summer? Everybody has been criticising the absence of legislation. The Government has not been active enough in bringing forward legislation over the last 12 months.

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