Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

Why is there not full disclosure? Is this merely a repeat of the Cowen-Anglo Irish Bank story? Let us have the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. It appears that CIE is hiding a number of shady practices and that it is also placing its employees' jobs at risk. I am seeking an answer in respect of this matter and I request that the Minister for Transport rather than the Leader provide a written reply in which it is indicated why there is no insistence that representatives from CIE should come before the Joint Committee on Transport to provide information in respect of the money given to that company by the taxpayer.

I raise the issue of the Hunt report on higher education. We waited two years for this important report which makes the point that it will cost another €500 million to have a functioning higher education system that we can be sure will deliver quality education, which this country will heavily rely on if we are to be part of the so-called smart economy. I will become cynical about the abuse and overuse of that word unless we are serious about the issue. Education has been a major asset in making sure we have been able to compete, and we must do something about it.

There are many positives in that report, which must be debated in this House, but I am very disappointed about one issue. The report states that over the next 20 years the scale of some smaller institutions should be examined in terms of mergers. We need to examine that issue much sooner. I met a lecturer on the train today. Currently, there are eight colleges in this country delivering-----