Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will address amendment No. 19. We suggest that, between lines 9 and 10 of page 17, it be included that one of the functions of an tÚdarás shall be to "advise the Minister in relation to the adequacy of the level of public funding that is made available for higher education and to advise on future funding requirements". All of these amendments are on a similar theme. Amendment No. 33 speaks to the same thing and proposes to insert "the funding status of individual designated institutions of higher education". Amendment No. 42, which is also in this grouping, is similar and refers to "the funding status of individual designated institutions of higher education". They are all on funding, which has been the subject of the overarching debate we have had over many years since the Cassells report and before it. The public funding of higher education is absolutely key and the Bill has to reflect that. That is why we have proposed these three amendments. If passed, an tÚdarás would have a function in this area. The other amendments speak to that issue as well.

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