Ann Ormonde (Fianna Fail)

I could stay here talking about this issue for a long time. I would like to have the matter clarified further. If it is three years of the previous five, there is a lot to be teased out. I am not grasping it as the Minister of State says it and it may need to be teased out further.

It is great that we are starting this process to modernise the grants scheme. I worked in one of the VECs for many years, was a member of another VEC for many years and know how the system works. The VECs are to be complimented on the work they have done but the process became convoluted because of the increase in the number of students. While I believe in the unified system, if we farm out the system we are introducing, to what people will it be farmed out? Will they be educationists and understand the process?

While I welcome the appeals system, I would like it to be spelled out more. I welcome the Bill and look forward to further discussion on Committee Stage. It is worthwhile, but considerable further teasing out is required. Implementation is the most important part and should be done before 2012.