Michael D'Arcy (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 659: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the review of section 9 of the Universities Act 1997 will be undertaken; the expected timeframe of this review; and when a decision consequent to the review will be announced. [22781/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Applications have been received from 3 Institutes of Technology for designation as universities. These applications raise significant issues regarding Government policy towards higher education, in particular the existing roles of the Universities and Institutes of Technology which have distinctive missions from each other, provide different levels and types of academic programmes, fulfil different roles in the community and have separate academic and governance structures. The Government wants to build on our strengths and to provide an environment where all our higher education institutions can develop in a way that best serves the country as a whole and the regions where they are based. These issues will be central to consideration of the appropriate next steps in relation to all applications on hand, including whether a review of Section 9 of the Universities Act 1997 will be undertaken.