Fidelma Healy Eames (Fine Gael)

I move amendment No. 1:

In page 30, subsection (10), between lines 5 and 6, to insert the following:

"(b) consultations with relevant parties, and".

This is a short but relevant amendment. A major change is made in the Bill, which is very welcome; instead of having 66 grant awarding authorities throughout the country, we will have a streamlined single authority. Fine Gael's proposal was reasonably similar to the Government's in terms of having a one stop shop for all payments. However, there is a concern in some vocational education committees and, in particular, County Galway VEC has asked me to make this request. It would involve a minor change, but it could be a useful one. Where difficulties arise for students within the catchment area of the local VEC it would like there to be a process of consultation with relevant local parties, whereby in each VEC there would be a designated person appointed to give some knowledge to students in making applications. Such a facility would prove important. We are moving from a more centralised way of doing things. In the second Lisbon treaty the principle of subsidiarity was proposed whereby we would revert to doing things locally. This would be a minor change to allow each VEC to have somebody in place to provide an ear for students. I would be delighted if the Minister of State accepted the amendment to allow the change to be made.

Progress reported; Committee to sit again.