Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Leas-Chathaoirleach. It is my first time to speak before him and I am delighted to welcome him to his new position in the Chair. I am delighted to see the Minister and to see her appointed to her portfolio. I would love to have seen her appointed to the education portfolio, as her expertise could really be used there. On considering the matter, however, I know she will bring a new perspective to the area of job creation because of her educational background merging with a desire to drive forward issues. I have known the Minister for many years as a very hard-working politician and I am sure she will put in much effort to the role she has been given. I congratulate her again.

I stated yesterday that I did not want the Seanad to be laboured with statements during current session. With respect to colleagues, we are reiterating what members of the public hear every day of the week from the political class. It would be more useful to sit down to consider three or four initiatives that might lead to job creation rather than making rand statements about broadband, roads and various other matters. We should be trying to single out a couple of issues that would assist the Minister in driving matters forward.

With all due respect to my colleague from the south east, the establishment of 16 university campuses in Ireland would do nothing for job creation. The likes of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT, one of the most renowned academic institutions in the world, does not need the tag "university" to make it relevant. I was in Carlow recently at the military graduation and I can state that it is the finest third level establishment and has the most forward-thinking people with whom one could ever ask to work. It does not need the tag "university" to make it relevant. Carlow Institute of Technology is delivering educational programmes to Aer Lingus in Dublin and the military-----