Senator Bacik calls for debate on Third Level Education

Order of Business

29^th September 2011

Senator Ivana Bacik: The motion on today's Order Paper, amending the terms of reference of the Seanad Public Consultation Committee, again gives us a better opportunity to engage with the public and in public consultation. It is part of the ongoing process of reform of Seanad procedures in which we are engaged in this Government, which was sadly neglected under the previous Government.

I also thank colleagues for contributing to the Labour Party's Private Members' motion yesterday with the Minister, Deputy Bruton in attendance. It was again a useful and productive debate with constructive suggestions being made and the Minister saying on the record that he would go back to consider extending the notice period in collective redundancy situations from 30 days. I thought that debate was very much worthwhile having.

I call on the Leader to arrange for the Minister for Health, or I should say Minister for Education and Skills to come into this House… for a debate on third level education in light of the lobby by the Union of Students in Ireland, which many of us attended. The USI has an impressive and reasonable lobbying programme and it calls, reasonably enough, for a freeze on the student contribution currently set at €2,000, no introduction of any further fees and investment in the student assistance fund. It would be worthwhile in this House, particularly given the interest many of us have in education and in third level education, that we would debate the proposals made by the USI with the Minister as soon as we can.