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

An order under section 36 of the Bill will provide for the establishment of a technological university and the specification for its name. There is no requirement to specify that the technological university will be allowed to describe itself as such, as that is the purpose of section 36. Section 8(2) provides a mechanism whereby any subsequent decision on a change of name from that originally specified and required for operational purposes may be so specified by the Minister in consultation with the technological university. This is not something that would be imposed arbitrarily by the Minister. The mechanism would be used only with the agreement of both parties. I do not accept that the governing body should have a veto on the Minister making such an order. The provisions included in the Bill, as it stands, allow for a degree of flexibility in this matter if required at any future stage. Therefore, I do not accept the amendment.