Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank everyone who has contributed to this debate. I have taken a note of what the Senators have said and the concerns that have been raised. I thank the Senators for their informed and interesting contributions to the Technological Universities Bill made yesterday and again today. I wholeheartedly agree with the views expressed regarding the high quality of institutes of technology. A number of the institutes of technology were referenced, including Carlow and Limerick yesterday and Waterford today. Senator Hopkins spoke about the lack of an institute of technology in Roscommon and the fact that many students from her county go to many different institutes of technology in the area.

As I said in my speech yesterday, the institute of technology sector has always striven to deliver a first class service to students, businesses, enterprises and a range of local and regional stakeholders. I have had the great privilege of visiting many of the institutes of technology. There are two still left on my list. I have seen the work that is being done with students and spoken to student unions in the various colleges. The holistic approach of the colleges and their caring attitude towards students was mentioned. I have visited colleges where the president of the college went into the cafeteria and honestly seemed to know every single person in the place. It was not a set up for the Minister's visit. That was one example. In another example I was brought around to see different courses being taught. The president of that institute of technology was able to talk to different students and knew exactly what they were studying. She did not just know the students' names but also exactly what they were studying and where they come from. That is really special and I do not want that to be lost when we bring the consortium together.

I want everything good about the institutes of technology to continue. I am looking at Senator O'Sullivan. I am really confident that, by ensuring that there is a technological university serving Waterford, the students that Senator Coffey mentioned who leave the area - some 75% of those who do the leaving certificate - who never return to the region will stay. That is one of the reasons I am really passionate about this. I believe that if students can be educated in their own home area and their own home county or region, the chances are that they will stay there and the benefits of the education they receive will stay there. Foreign direct investment will be attracted to the area and people who want to set up businesses, or indeed our indigenous businesses, will know that those students are in the area. It brings a lot to the table and it will be a game changer for the regions. That is why I really want this Bill to go through.

Many collaborative approaches have been taken elsewhere. I absolutely respect what the Senator said about Athlone. I have visited Athlone. It was another college that I was really wowed by. The interest that the president and the staff took in their students was very impressive. There is a place for these consortia, but there is also a place for individual institutes of technology to stand and deliver an education programme they feel is suitable.

I am of the view that the establishment of technological universities will enhance higher education options without compromising the services and products which are currently delivered. When one reads the Bill, which is comprehensive, one will see that we have tried to deal with every sector. It will allow for institutes of greater scale, capacity and reach to build upon the firm foundations that already exist and to create that unique brand. As I stated yesterday, no institute of technology is being dragooned into seeking technological university designation. It is a decision and a choice to be made by institutes where they are of the view that it is in the best interests of their students, staff and related stakeholders. The possibility is also provided for in the Bill for a single institute of technology to become part of an established technological university if it so wishes at a subsequent stage. There are more than Athlone in this category. A wide range of possibilities and choices are being created, which can only be good for the entire sector. The student will be placed at the top of that paradigm.

A number of Senators rightly highlighted that there are multiple pathways to achieving high-quality qualifications and attaining high levels of in-demand skills. In this context both lifelong learning and apprenticeships were referenced. I acknowledge that. In addition, some Senators mentioned the importance of institutes of further education and training, and their role in providing education and training. I wish to acknowledge the contributions of the colleges of further education. They will now be able to work with the new technological universities to ensure pathways of progression for their students. I note that the example of the key role being played by the Monaghan Institute of Further Education and Training, and the Cavan Institute, were cited here yesterday as an example of the provision of these different progression pathways. I could add many more examples, because I have had the opportunity to attend many graduations from colleges of further education and can absolutely vouch for the standard of education. I have spoken to many of the graduates who have come through those colleges. They often get jobs, which is most admirable. Usually, as I hand them their script or certificate, I ask them what their plans are for the future. Almost 95% have either got into another college or are going abroad to another university or institute of technology to study further, or they have got a job. That is a great testament to what our colleges of further education are doing.

I want to state that the Government provided significant additional funding to the Department of Education and Skills in budget 2018, and funding for higher education and further education and training has increased by €100 million in 2018 compared with 2016. That is money on the table for higher education.

Key new targets for the next three years include increasing by 10% the number of those aged between 25 and 64 engaged in lifelong learning by 2020, and by 15% by 2025. We have also set the target of increasing by 25% the total number of students studying on a flexible basis. As I go around the country and talk to different people in institutes of technology who are interested in becoming part of the technological consortia, they are all talking about lifelong learning and flexible learning and want to offer those opportunities to the students that are there and to people who are in the community who want to retrain for jobs or reskill themselves. That will be something extra which will now have a policy behind it within the technological university. All students will have the opportunity to undertake a work placement by 2025. Increasing entry from disadvantaged and disability streams and ensuring that every DEIS school partakes in higher education institute-led access programmes.I feel strongly about this. This morning I met the National Council for the Blind of Ireland, NCBI, where I met students who were getting a bursary to attend a third level institute. I heard there that some institutes are better than others at welcoming students, orientating them and helping them get library access, which I am now aware is a problem. It is very important that access for the disadvantaged and disability streams is part of the policy for technological universities, as well as expanding alternate pathways by doubling apprenticeships and increasing Springboard provision by 30%.

The question of the presidents of the new technological universities was raised yesterday. I can confirm that it is the intention that the appointment of the first president of a technological university shall be by way of open competition. This will allow high-calibre candidates, national and international, to compete for the position. I can also confirm that there will be no proscription of an incumbent president of a technological university seeking reappointment when his or her term of office finishes. This is in line with other legislation in the higher education sector. However, it shall be a matter for the technological university to appoint the next president. The selection criteria and appointment procedures shall be established and published by the technological university.

Several Senators have spoken in support of there being additional representation for various groupings on the governing body of a technological university. Additional student representatives, or city and county councillors, or an Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, representative were mentioned. While I will, of course, consider any amendments tabled in this regard on Committee Stage, the composition of the governing body has been carefully crafted in consultation with key stakeholders, including the Teachers Union of Ireland and the Technological Higher Education Association. The Department has also interacted with the Union of Students in Ireland and IMPACT. We are seeking to strike a balance in reducing, comparatively speaking, the overall size of the governing body, given that two or more institutes of technology, and even four or more, could be merging into a technological university. This is in line with recommendations of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, OECD, and the national strategy for higher education to 2030. We are also seeking to ensure, once again in line with best international practice, that the governing body has a majority of external members with a focus on the relevant competencies of these members as are required to drive forward the technological university in the modern education and training, business, research, community and skills environments. These competencies include business, enterprise, finance, law, corporate governance, human resources, community organisation and any other areas relevant to the functions of a technological university.

The competencies must be agreed in advance with the Higher Education Authority and at least one of the external members on the governing body must have expertise in standards and practice in higher education outside the State. In seeking to further expand overall membership of the governing body, or to juggle with the composition of the governing body and, in turn, the members' requisite competencies, we risk not least upsetting the balance of internal and external members.

Were we to accede to all requests for additional representation, the governing body would be expanded exponentially, would become unwieldy and be out of step with international best practice and would lack agility and responsiveness. That said, I will consider any and all amendments proposed on this and any other areas of the Bill when Committee Stage commences next week.

I thank all the Senators, once again for their kind attention, their courtesy and informed contributions which seek at all times only to further strengthen and improve the Technological Universities Bill.