Sean Barrett (Independent)

It is a pity. I accept the Minister of State's point and her bona fides. There is a danger that people can form uninformed views or prejudices about what is right or wrong with an educational course. It would be a good idea to go into an institution and consult those who provide education there about their ideas. One could get valuable international contacts as a result. I presume those who carry on these tasks in universities and institutes of technology attend international conferences, etc. If we were talking about the training of economists, we would find it strange if it were the case that only Ministers were involved in deciding what should be done. These institutions have existed for hundreds of years. The medical school in Trinity College is 300 years old this year. In the past, there has always been a difficulty within medical education in deciphering where the role of the Minister for Health ends and the role of the Minister for Education and Skills begins, and vice versa. It would be a good idea to involve the governing authorities. I am disappointed it has not received a favourable response. It seems anomalous and strange that Ministers should have responsibility for highly technical academic areas. I have made my point. Perhaps I will raise it with the Minister for Education and Skills when he is in the House. It would be very strange not to avail of all the expertise everywhere. The word "partnership" has been somewhat devalued in an economic sense, but in this sense it should involve consulting those who had these students in their care for four years and brought them to international standards. It could be a learning process for all parties. I will not press the amendment. I regret that the Minister of State is not accepting it.