Rónán Mullen (Independent)

I echo the concerns expressed by others about reports of grade inflation in our universities and third level colleges. I heard the very fluent analysis from Dr. Brendan Guilfoyle of the Institute of Technology Tralee. We need a debate on this issue as a matter of urgency. We need to get the issue right or we will face the consequences in terms of our competitiveness. It is important to stress some issues. It is undoubtedly the case that we continue to produce many very fine graduates and the fact there is an increased number of high grades does not automatically mean there is a lowering of standards but in some cases what was once considered a 2.2 degree is now more likely to be considered a 2.1. We must also ask whether there is grade inflation at post-graduate level and whether that could be tied in with universities' desire to raise money through fees. These are important issues we need to discuss and I hope there will be a debate.

I recall the great Horace Rumpole, of "Rumpole of the Bailey" fame, only got an undistinguished third at college and went on to be an expert in blood stains and a defender of the downtrodden criminal classes. High grades, therefore, are not automatically a prerequisite for success.

I would love if we could have a divorce in this country between the phrases "right wing" and "Catholic". A major red herring has been created around the debate on the terrible abuse case in Roscommon. There may well have been individual busybodies who may have characterised themselves as Catholic——