Alex White (Labour)

Will the Leader please arrange a debate in this House on the announcement by the Taoiseach, the Minister for Education and Science and others yesterday of what has been described as an innovative task force involving UCD and TCD? At the outset, I want to say we should all welcome such an initiative that would ensure additional funding goes to our universities, so that they might continue to play a vital role in the economy and economic development of the country. Universities have always been crucially important in terms of innovation and economic growth.

On a cautionary note, however, precisely what the Government sees the role of a university to be in the modern world and economy should be explored in such a debate. While I readily agree that universities have played a vital role on the business side and as regards the economy in the past, they do not exist to be at the service of business. The idea of a university is much wider than that and they are not there simply to be at the beck and call, as it were, of business, or simply to produce ideas for the economy. The university has a much wider role to play and traditionally it is very much an independent role.

I should be somewhat cautious about the sense in which, for example, the universities or ideas being brought forward by leading academics and others are being commercialised. There is a wider responsibility on the part of the universities and these are the issues I should like to have teased out with the Minister, if he could come to the Seanad so that we might debate that announcement. There are three other issues in relation to that debate that I believe to be important. A certain nervousness was evident from the other universities earlier in the week. They may have put aside their concerns so as not to be seen in any way to be pouring cold water over yesterday's announcement, which was very welcome. However, we must bear in mind that there are more than two universities in this State and they have played a vital role at all stages as regards scientific pursuits and right across the board. That should be considered.

We should also consider our connections with universities in the North. We hear much talk about an all-Ireland economy. The important connections that have been established between universities in the South and the North should also be part of this initiative.

It is all very well talking about funding initiatives but we must also look at access for young people to third level education. The kite being flown in regard to third level fees is not a million miles away from the issues with which we must deal in this context. That also should be part of the debate. The Minister has been in the House once and should return. This would be an interesting starting point for a debate.