Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

Very soon we will have the publication of a report on third level education by Colin Hunt yet in this Chamber we have not yet had a debate on our vision for third level education. We should debate that issue before Colin Hunt deliberates.

In this morning's Irish Independent there is an article about four Dublin colleges considering a merger. That may be a welcome development but a debate would allow us the opportunity to ask questions such as whether we need 14 institutes of technology and seven universities. Should we not be examining centres of excellence and specialisation and, more importantly, regional development? Our education policy should be knitted in with the development of our regions.

Yesterday, the Western Development Commission came into this House and spoke about the OECD's evidence. The Western Development Commission's evidence is that we should develop our regions and support lagging regions.