Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

I move amendment No. 2:

In page 10, lines 1 and 2, to delete all words from and including "have" in line 1 down to and including "opportunity" in line 2 and substitute the following:

"facilitate life-long learning and promote gender balance and the attainment of equality of opportunity generally, as an object of the college".

I welcome the new section 7(6)(c), inserted in section 8, which requires a governing body in performing its functions to have regard to the attainment of gender balance and equality of opportunity and to promote access to education in the college by economically or underrepresented groups. The new section 21D inserted into the RTC Act 1992 by section 22 of the Bill requires each college to have an equality policy to implement the policies set out in a statement of its equality policy.

This requirement is similar to that placed on governing authorities of universities in the Universities Act 1997 and is a welcome improvement to the legislation for institutes of technology. Section 12 of the Universities Act deals with the objects of a university but there is no similar section in this Bill. This is despite the fact that, as I pointed out on Second Stage, section 52, which deals with the amendment of the Higher Education Authority Act 1971, contains a subsection that refers to the body having regard to the objects and functions of institutes of higher education currently in existence. Obviously, institutes of higher education encompasses both universities and institutes of technology.

The lack of a separate section in this Bill dealing with the objects of a institute of technology is a flaw. In particular, there is a need for a reference to the facilitation of lifelong learning, the promotion of gender balance and the attainment of equality of opportunity generally as an object of the college, as is contained in this amendment. The provision in this Bill is much weaker than that of the Universities Act because it refers to the functions, rather than the objects, of institutes of technology and includes the words "have regard to", rather than referring to objects. The provision relating to lifelong learning, gender balance and equality of opportunity is much stronger in the Universities Act than it is in this Bill. It is for this reason that I have tabled this amendment. I would like to hear the Minister's comments in this regard.