Donie Cassidy (Fianna Fail)

That is a worthy request and I have no difficulty in making time available for such a debate.

Senator Keaveney also called for a debate on bullying in schools. I can request the Minister for Education and Science to address this matter. Perhaps it can be included in a debate on education in general when the Minister comes to the House. She will be in the House in the next week or so to discuss another aspect of education. We might avail of that opportunity to include also a discussion on the matter raised by the Senator.

Senator John Paul Phelan raised the matter of an application for university status made by Waterford Institute of Technology. I will pass his views on to the Minister for Education and Science. Perhaps that matter also could be discussed when she visits this House the week after next.

Senator Ellis called for a debate on the takeover of local radio stations. This is an alarming development for those of us who were Members of the Oireachtas many years ago when unlicensed radio stations were the order of the day and were very successful. We convinced the then Government to license radio stations. It was never envisaged that the communities who were given those licences would sell them on and make millions of euro from those sales. Those licences were granted to serve the interests of the community. Local radio's great strength is that it is local and everyone who wants to listen to it has access to it. From the listeners' point of view, which is what is important, the Government and the Department have a duty to put a stop to the sale or future sale of local radio stations, having regard to the way they are being taken over. Neither can anyone condone the wage cuts staff have been asked to take following such takeovers, as outlined by the Senator. I will make time available to discuss this matter in the Seanad at a future date.