Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I wish to echo the call for a debate on the universities. While I welcome the merger and it is good to reach a critical mass of academic and research power, I also echo Senator Alex White's point that education is not simply about the economy. Members should recall Newman's idea of the university and the importance of arts and humanities.

I also wish to stress the need for openness in the discussion between the universities. I gather that the president of DCU, Professor von Prondzynski, was unhappy about the lack of openness as this initiative was being negotiated. Such a lack of openness is not desirable.

I compliment my colleague, Senator O'Toole, on his instigation of the debate last night on Seanad reform and compliment the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Deputy Gormley, on finally committing to taking the necessary step to widen the university franchise in order that graduates of the institutes of technology, the University of Limerick, Dublin City University and other colleges finally will be treated on the same basis as graduates of Trinity and the National University of Ireland. It is certainly true that university Senators have punched above their weight during the years, albeit sometimes punching each other and sometimes the wrong targets. Nevertheless, they have made an important contribution. I disagree with Senator Alex White's comment last night that the current system is elitist. Senator O'Toole's positive proposal that——