Sean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 23:

In page 9, lines 18 and 19, to delete all words from and including “deletion” in line 18 down to and including line 19 and substitute “ “substitution of “authorised” for “administered”.”.

Senator Reilly has proposed amendment No. 24 and she will speak more eloquently than I on that. Amendment No. 23 relates to the good part of the Bill and the success of student universal support Ireland, SUSI. One of the last interactions in this house with the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Quinn, was to compliment him on the fact that SUSI's first-year teething problems had been overcome dramatically. He sent a list of officers in each county to deal with queries. The lady in charge of the Wexford section instantly solved an issue I raised. Given that there were brickbats in the first year of SUSI, there should be plaudits for what has happened subsequently. The fact that the issue of SUSI is not raised in the House much anymore means it must work well.
I wish to make a technical addition to the praise I have given. Is it administered by the Minister, now that it is in a separate body, or is it authorised by the Minister? I will leave this for the Minister's consideration. Could a person say it is no longer administered by the Minister because it has been delegated to a new body called SUSI? I hope this amendment is of use in framing the Bill.