Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That is generally how Committee Stage works. Amendment No. 1 is in the names of Senators Norris and Boyhan. I thank Senator Norris for his opening contribution which I will get to as we go through the various stages of the amendments.

The Senator will not be surprised that I am not in a position to accept this amendment because it proposes to remove section 1(2) of the Bill. That is the section which provides for the commencement of the Act by ministerial order with the exemption of certain sections relating to the incorporation of higher education institutions into technological universities. The Senator, as a very long-serving Member of the Oireachtas, knows that this is a standard provision in any piece of legislation. It is necessary to provide for the commencement of different sections of the Act and, therefore, removing it would prevent me from commencing various sections of the Act at various times. That may have been the Senators intention.