Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Of course, I will be more than happy to meet with staff, the board of governors and the board of management of St. Catherine's for whom I have a very high regard. However, I hope it is not in the expectation that I can reverse the decision which has been made but rather that I can help with transitional arrangements, discuss where their future lies and facilitate them in whatever way I can. Should evidence arise in future of a need to train more students at a course in Dublin, I will be open to hearing it. No other proposals have been brought forward to date. Unfortunately, the decision is being implemented and there are now only second, third and fourth year students at St. Catherine's.

It is opportune to recognise the role St. Catherine's and its graduates have played around the country. Senators are correct in their arguments about the debate on obesity, food awareness, safety and health. A role can be played in this area not just by home economics teachers but by graduates of courses such as that offered at Cathal Brugha Street. All of us can have an influence in terms of our own actions in this context.

Senator Henry seemed to indicate the degrees which have been granted in the past and those which will be granted to current students of St. Catherine's will in some way not be Trinity College awards or that students will be stripped of them. That is a fabrication and I am surprised that Senator Henry should suggest it. There is no question of any threat to a degree which has or will be granted to students of St. Catherine's. It is important to recognise those graduates and to thank most sincerely the Dominican Sisters for the role they have played in the education landscape and for their veritas, which of course is the motto of the order. It was instilled into us all as we taught there and into many communities in which the order has been involved.

This decision was made for a wide variety of reasons and based on numerous considerations rather than on any single report or lobby. While, unfortunately and to my regret, I am not in a position to reverse it, I look forward to meeting and working with the staff of the college to find how best to facilitate an easy transition for their futures.