Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I reiterate that I am not in the business of guaranteeing anything. We have spent years bringing in this Technological Universities Bill, and I thank the TUI which voted in favour of technological universities. The regional remit of TUs is being strengthened in this Bill. With regard to staff transfer to the TUs, I have been very clear in what I have said. I reiterate that the Technological Universities Bill will strengthen the education on offer to students and, if one thinks about it logically, in doing so, jobs will be safer. It is very easy for Deputy Barry to stand up and throw that out, but we have worked with the unions and we have discussed it with them. I believe the lecturers and staff in those institutes of technology, who are hoping to get technology university recognition, want the very best for their students. That is what this Department is about; the student and then the lecturers.

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