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

I have been in education for 31 years and I am from outside Dublin. I believe technological universities represent the best way forward for the regions. For staff and students, these will be stronger organisations. In good faith, that is why we have put a very strong Bill forward. It addresses all the issues that have come up via the unions, lecturers and students. This has not happened over a year or the six months I have been in the job. This has been going on for years and a great deal of effort has gone into it. We have been through the Dáil before, but the Minister, Deputy Bruton, put it back on Committee Stage to find the optimal solutions for students and lecturers. The document I have here is a very strong one and it addresses the issues the Deputy raises. If there are specific examples, the Department and I are more than willing to look at them.

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