Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

The institutes of technology have been working hard since 2012 toward the amalgamation. They have gone overboard in facilitating trade unions and student representation in the merging process. There has been massive investment by the institutes in making sure they got everybody on board. They have worked hard with my former trade union, the Teachers Union of Ireland, to ensure they brought it on board and got full buy-in right through the process.I understand the points being made by Senator Rónán Mullen and just made by Senator Alice-Mary Higgins. Rather than go around the houses again on this argument, perhaps we might withdraw all of the amendments now and reserve the right to retable them on Report Stage. I know that the Minister of State has already looked at the issues again, but I am anxious that we move the Bill through Committee Stage today and do not delay it any longer. There have been enough hiccups along the way. We can discuss the issues again on Report Stage when there might be a clearer definition of autonomy. As I said, I understand the points being made, but I am anxious to facilitate passage of the Bill today.