Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We will support its passage to Committee Stage. Senator Barrett is aware that two further Bills are being prepared, the technological universities Bill and the higher education governance Bill, and they will probably deal with much of what the Senator has raised.

Senator Barrett has outlined the purpose of the Bill, which may be worth repeating. It is to do the following: create a more modern approach to public expenditure management for funding higher education; introduce a single regulatory authority; and address the problems created by the Cahill v. Dublin City University case. I am a proponent of academic freedom and I welcome the frequent contributions of Mr. Morgan Kelly and others, including our own Senator Barrett, in this regard. The Bill also seeks more effective governing authorities, an aspiration with which I agree. I know a number of institute and university boards are seeking to be more effective, and some are being resisted, so I hope everybody in these colleges will co-operate so as to bring about more effective governance and accountability. The average income of each institute of technology is €50 million, of which €40 million goes on wages. There is €10 million to be managed in each case, which is a considerable sum, so we need value for money.

The role of higher education has never been more important. Our future will be built on this and we must generate a workforce of motivated people who are adaptable and flexible, a generation of innovative thinkers who will have many jobs and careers over their lives. The national strategy for higher education sets out directions for change aimed at providing for this. As part of the strategy for higher education and governance reform, we are consolidating our institutional system from 39 institutions to 25. My local college is Dundalk Institute of Technology, and I was a member of its governing body for nine years. I retain a very close association to the college. It has signed a memorandum of understanding with Dublin City University to provide accredited level 8 and level 9 degrees, and there is other collaboration in the research area dear to Senator Barrett's heart. Such action is being replicated throughout the country in places like St. Angela's College in Sligo and other institutions throughout the country which are forming bonds and alliances up to the formation of a university.

There is much work being done already but we need more of it. I look forward to further debate on the issue and words of wisdom from Senator Barrett.