Niall Blaney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister and the Minister of State to the House. Following the recent election, before the Government was formed, many had their say on higher education and whether there was a need for a senior and junior Minister for the sector. Some said it was not necessary, but tonight's debate shows why it is.

As Senator Byrne noted, the regional technical colleges did a great job in their day. They became institutes of technology, which moved everything on to the next level, introducing some research and expanding the courses available to students across the country. Those developments played a major role in us becoming the multi-tech and pharma employer we are today. If one stands still, nothing will change but what will happen is the influx of jobs and opportunities over the past decade and more will cease to exist in the future. Some like Senator Craughwell question why there should be technological universities; that is the reason.We cannot afford to stand still. We need to move forward with innovation and research. Every area of the country is entitled to that access for all our young people coming forward, and those who go to learn later in life, so they have the opportunity to going to a more localised university setting. I very much welcome the work of the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Niall Collins. They have taken on a lot of work. It is very welcome. I refer also to my local strategic partnership, the Connacht-Ulster Alliance. I will address the remarks that were made by Senator Craughwell with regard to the president of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, LYIT, Paul Hannigan, and the remarks he made many years ago. I assure the Minister, Deputy Harris, that the president of the LYIT is 100% behind the Connacht-Ulster Alliance. Over and above that, Mr. Hannigan is already working hand in glove with Professor Malachy O'Neill, the provost of the Magee campus of Ulster University, with the heads of the North West Regional College in Derry, and with the Donegal Education and Training Board, ETB.

It is only a few weeks ago that I organised for Professor O'Neill and the president of LYIT, Mr. Hannigan, with the stewardship of the Chairman, to address the Committee on the Implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, which they did. They outlined the great work and co-operation that is going on there at the moment. They are co-operating from the point of view that if one campus cannot deal with a certain area in providing a new course, they collaborate together to ensure the north west gets a proper representation of courses. This has to be welcomed and a lot more development can happen there. I will come back to this point before I finish.

In his speech the Minister referred to balanced regional development, which is key. I believe that the Minister and the Minister of State will play a key role in balanced regional development on a North-South footing. A lot of our students go across the Border, and particularly along the Border, but very few come across to here. With the shared island approach, the Ministers will play a key role in developing trust within communities in Northern Ireland. I have had this batted about with regard to border polls. We need to work with all sectors across the Border and show what we have to offer down south.

I want to make one strong point on the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, which is the issue of the TUI signing off on each technological university. I believe it is wrong that each area is asked for sign-off by the TUI. I ask the Minister and the Minister of State to look at this. It should not be happening on a local basis. Obviously, one is going to have something over and above the other, and vice versa.. This should be addressed at a national level. It is wrong and I ask again that the Minister and the Minister of State would look at this.

I wish the Minister well in the work ahead. I look forward and hope that the Minister takes an interest in the shared island unit and how the Department can contribute to that. I believe the Minister has a lot to contribute in this regard. I welcome the opportunity, as mentioned by the Minister, to have a North-South debate on higher education. It would be very useful.