Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Some broad issues have been raised. Perhaps I might start with the last issue raised by Senator John Crown. As he is aware, there has been considerable reform in higher education generally in terms of institutions coming together and working collaboratively and forming clusters in different parts of the country in the context of the proposed technological universities. He has proposed a very significant reform in higher education. Obviously, I am not in a position to say right now that I can do this, but it is a proposal that can certainly be thrown into the mix for consideration. However, there would need to be a great deal of consultation with the various institutions involved in delivering medical education. It is an area in which there has been an ongoing reform programme under my predecessor which I will be continuing, but I am not going to comment specifically on medical schools.

The issue of human rights in the Middle East is one on which there have been very good debates in this House and at Oireachtas committees. I had an opportunity on my first outing as Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs to raise human rights issues in the Middle East. I will not comment specifically on the matter today because it is very much outside the scope of the Bill and specifically the amendments.