asked the Minister for Education if he will establish a faculty in one of the country's universities to deal with harbours, piers and coastal erosion.

The establishment of a new faculty in a university is a matter for the university concerned.

Would the Parliamentary Secretary not accept that, as the university grants committee do in Britain, if the Government feel a need for this faculty they might suggest it to one of the colleges and finance it?

One must respect the freedom of the institutes concerned to make their decision in this matter.

Yes.

I feel it probably would be more appropriate for some of the concerns, other than State or commercial, directly involved in any particular field who feel there is a lack of suitably trained graduates coming into their profession to make the first approach based on the more precise knowledge they would have in their own capacities than it would be for the Government to make such an approach to the universities.

It would help.