Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 3, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following:
“ “universities” means bodies specified under section 4 of the Universities Act 1997;"

Amendment No. 4 brings universities within the meaning of the Universities Act. That is self-explanatory.
Amendment No. 6 is to delete a section of page 4 of the Bill. This amendment was somewhat controversial on the last occasion. Marketing programmes of education is a specified purpose of the Bill, rather than education itself. I think it was the marketing aspect that annoyed people. We specify in our amendment No. 6 the provision of a programme of education and training and research services. The concern was that there would be international marketing programmes. They appear very high up in the Government's Bill. We put the education aspect first.
Amendment No. 4 is on universities. Amendment No. 6 is to put the educational purposes up front rather than its marketing.
Amendment No. 12 is the third one I was looking for. I think it is a matter that the Minister has referred to. Amendment No. 12 states, "that the Minister is satisfied that the name of the proposed university is distinct from any existing university in the State", in case somebody sets up "Trinity University" or one that could be confused with an already established one. The Minister has already dealt with that in her introductory remarks.
The background to what we have in these amendments is to give a licensing regime which will ensure - as the Minister, Senator Power and others have said - that these newly-validated institutions will meet the criteria that are being applied to technological universities and will meet the standards set by Irish universities over many hundreds of years, to build up the international reputation that they have. As Senator Quinn has stated, it is hoped that these amendments are of help to the Minister bringing the Bill before the Dáil. That is the spirit in which they are intended. They are not intended in a spirit of confrontation. If they are of help, they are on offer for that purpose.