Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 16: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the progress being made regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the OECD review of third level education policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2891/05]

Breeda Moynihan-Cronin (Kerry South, Labour)
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Question 73: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the actions she has taken on foot of the recent OECD report on third level education here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3015/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 and 73 together.

The OECD review on the future of higher education in Ireland makes far reaching recommendations for reform and development of the sector. The extensive consultation undertaken by the OECD team with all the key stakeholders in the sector and their own undoubted expertise lend considerable weight to these recommendations.

It is important to note that a number of the recommendations such as the designation of the institutes of technology within the proposed new tertiary education authority require legislative amendments, while others such as the structures required to maximise research output, require extensive consultation, not only with the agencies involved, but also with my colleague, the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment. Since my appointment, I have already met representatives from the universities and the institutes of technology and emphasised my commitment to progress the recommendations of the OECD.

I am now initiating an intensive consultation process with stakeholders affected by the report with a view to developing a comprehensive response to the report and bringing proposals, including any necessary legislative proposals, to Government, when appropriate. Following on from the initial colloquium held last year by my predecessor, I have arranged to meet shortly representatives of my Department, the Higher Education Authority, the Conference of Heads of Irish Universities, the Council of Directors of Institutes of Technology and Dublin Institute of Technology to begin a series of focused discussions on aspects of the report, and its implications for the development of a unified strategy for the future of the sector. I envisage that this will be the first in a series of meetings with interested parties which will ensure that their views are fully taken account of in developing the response to the report.