Grace O'Sullivan (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 7:

In page 11, to delete lines 17 to 20 and substitute the following:"(2) A technological university shall be allowed to describe itself as a technological university. The Minister, with the consent of the governing authority of a technological university, may by order specify a name, other than the name specified in the order under section 36, by which the technological university may describe itself for operational purposes.".

This amendment has been designed to ensure the brand of a technological university would be preserved in the future. It would still allow the Minister to consult on changes to the name but not to remove the term "technological university" or to impose names against the will of a technological university. There are the rather perverse prohibitions on institutes such as the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland which are not able to refer to themselves in Ireland as universities but can do so abroad. Institute of Technology Carlow was redesignated as Austin Waldron RTC but then had to campaign to have it returned to a more neutral descriptive designation. Names matter and the technological universities need to be provided with certainty as regards their future plans. If the aim of the Bill is to be achieved, we need to ensure the benefits of designation will be secure. I reiterate that the aim of the amendment is to ensure the term "technological university" would be used in terms of branding and could not be changed.