Sean Barrett (Independent)

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Cannon. I should have welcomed him to the House in my introductory remarks. I believe the universities should be excluded, which is why I tabled the amendment. They are competing at the highest possible international standard. This is a vote of no confidence in them by the Government. We are competing in research and in teaching with people of the highest standards worldwide. The Minister of State confirmed the intention to abolish the IUQB, which was set up by the universities, and to replace it with another body. That is an undermining of the authority and of the autonomy of the universities. I will press the amendment because this is a dark day for Irish universities that they are treated in this way by the Department of Education and Skills, in particular in terms of the route that it now forces the colleges to go in legal terms. If one changes the charter of a university, one must do so by a Private Members' Bill. That was done previously and it was extremely expensive to the House and to those moving the Bill.

I do not see the necessity for interference to the degree that is being proposed. We are giving the quality. The Comptroller and Auditor General has confirmed that, as have international employers. Likewise, universities in other countries have confirmed that, yet the Department wants to abolish an independent body and replace it with its quango. I propose that my amendment should be accepted. I am not satisfied that the Department of Education and Skills realises the importance of an autonomous university system and its value to this country. It has served the country in a splendid way, as Senator Quinn observed, for well on 400 years.

The problems facing this country were not caused by the universities but by bureaucracy and by failures in the Central Bank and the Department of Finance and other Departments. The universities are being punished for a collapse they did not cause. In fact, they have remained the shining lights in the Irish firmament and have kept going despite all of the difficulties this country is facing. Bureaucrats will always seek to extend their powers into other areas, but this is one area where that should not be allowed to happen.