Sean Barrett (Independent)

I thank the Minister of State. The universities have not asked us whether they want to wind up the IUQB. There has been a lack of consultation on the issue. If the Minister of State wants to dissolve the board, he should accept my amendment.

This process indicates some of the ways such decisions are made, in that we will pass a law and lean on the universities to abolish the IUQB, or they have nodded and winked in agreement concerning its abolition. Speaking as a member of a governing body, the universities have not agreed. The Minister of State may have been misinformed or misled, but the matter has not been discussed in the two and a half years I have been a member of the body. We are assuming that the universities will voluntarily agree to get rid of the board, but none of the bodies has made that decision. We are trying to exercise our leverage with them to abolish a body which, to my knowledge, they have not even discussed for good or ill. If we want to abolish it, we should include this provision. We should not assume that it will be abolished for us because someone somewhere has nodded or winked about being willing to do it. The Irish Universities Association, IUA, comprises the universities' heads and is not representative of the bodies. Some may believe the functions should return to the Department - that is my opinion - while some may believe the IUQB is a wonderful body which should be retained. We do not know because of the unsatisfactory way in which this legislation has proceeded. This is not to reflect on the Minister of State, as others involved seem to be nodding and winking. They might have personal views, but the issue has not been discussed.