Paudie Coffey (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is important that we have a robust debate on the future of the technological universities, their ethos and everything else about them. I do not have a particular difficulty with the wording of what Senator Avid Norris has proposed, but having read the Bill, I do not have a difficulty with what the Government has proposed. The Minister of State has allowed for a very broad spectrum of understanding as regards the ambitions for the universities. I will read the relevant paragraph because Members are trying to argue that this is just about business, entrepreneurship and the economy, when it is not. It states, in so far as possible in the performance of its functions, "contributing to the promotion of the economic, cultural, social, scientific and technological development of the State." To me, cultural and social development is about the Irish language. The next line goes further - "respecting the diversity of values, beliefs, and traditions in Irish society". What are the traditions in Irish society? The Irish language is one; the Irish culture is another and there is all that goes with it. There is a reference to the humanities, while charity is another strong tradition in Irish society. I will go further. Members are saying we are trying to narrow the ethos of a technological universities just to business, but the next line in the Bill reads: "promoting critical and free inquiry, informed intellectual discourse and public debate". What is public engagement? It is about all of those things within the technological university and wider society.

We are cutting ourselves up over the wording of an amendment, but I understand the main argument of the Opposition is that we are putting too much emphasis on entrepreneurship in the ethos. I could also argue that point. I have argued passionately why people living in all regions should have access to a university education. I have also argued passionately the strengths of apprenticeships and vocational education in meeting the needs of a modern society. We need to differentiate in what universities will provide for in the future as we cannot have more of the same. We have to have differentiation on the political spectrum, whereby educational courses and the attainment of adequate qualifications by graduates will meet the needs of society. Yes, it is great to have academics, deep thinkers, people in pensive mood and all of that, but we also need to respond to the challenges faced by Irish society. From where are the graduates for the construction sector to come to deliver the new national development plan? From where will the scientists come to meet the challenges faced in a modern society? They will come from the institutes of technology which want to remain as such or from those that wish to escalate their development to full technological university status.It is important we differentiate those. I certainly do not want more of the same. We should have choice for options to go where they wish. We need to have more places in the educational spectrum and the technological universities can allow for that.

I am certainly not going to be beaten up about this amendment. I understand where Senator Norris is coming from but I argue that this is not just about entrepreneurship. The Minister of State has provided in the Bill a wide spectrum, going across cultural, historical, traditional, social and scientific areas. I am happy to support the Minister of State on this. I have been critical of the Bill in other ways, and I stand over that, but I am happy to support the Minister of State in this because there is a place for technological universities to meet a specific need in this country for the modern skills we will need in future.