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

We have had a very good debate, and those who have participated include Senators Power, Barrett and Moloney. It has been a constructive debate. I will return and have given an undertaking to Senator Barrett in particular that I intend to bring forward amendments in the Dáil to in respect of some of the issues he raised.

In respect of the specifics around the naming of any institution outside the State as a university under this legislation, the qualifications are very rigorous in terms of qualification under the Irish system. Senator Michael D'Arcy is right about technological universities. It is important that the bar be high for any institution that can call itself a university inside or outside the State in terms of Irish qualifications and how we recognise them. Waterford, Carlow and the other institutes of technology that are proposing to merge and become technological universities are very different.

They have a large number of undergraduates and a wide range of courses and know it is important they reach certain standards. This element of the legislation is tightly controlled in terms of how it can be used. The Senator is right to name the Royal College of Surgeons, although it is not named in the Bill. As far as we know, it is the institution that is likely to reach the required standard. Nobody has questioned the standard of education or qualifications provided for within the Royal College of Surgeons. I believe we are ad idemon much of this. I will come back to the Seanad on the Bill.