David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I will confine myself to saying it is significant that the Minister of State, in speaking about these programmes, used the word "research". There should be research programmes. It is quite within a third level institution to have research students working on a programme that is not research. For that reason I will push the amendment. There was much persiflage in what the Minister of State said - it was waffle here and there - about this, that and the other but it did not address the matter at all.

On the other hand, we have discussed these matters for a number of hours but it has made not a dent in her armour. She has been quite impervious to the acceptance of any amendments whatever. I can make one forecast about this Bill. It will see the end of the day completely unamended, so Seanad Éireann will have been wasting its sweetness on the desert air as far as the Minister of State is concerned. The Bill will glide happily through this House without the slightest titter of an amendment. I will push the amendment to a vote.