Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to come back over a number of these amendments. I thank the Minister for his response. I still have a concern. I note that in the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education, Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science report and scrutiny of the general scheme of the Bill, one of the key recommendations was that the legislation should ensure there is a strong and independent HEA. I am somewhat concerned that the idea of the HEA being independent from the Minister seems not to be addressed. I believe it was Senator Byrne who said it should not be independent from the Minister. I acknowledge that the HEA is a State agency but I am concerned that the traditional arm's length approach in the context of State agencies, and the idea of independence within those agencies, is somewhat undermined by the provisions in this Bill. In that regard, I note that there is a big difference. For example, everybody has policies but the State and the Government are not actually exactly the same. It is not the equivalent.