I referred to the waste issue to caution the Taoiseach against accepting any more big ideas from the Minister for Education and Science, considering that his last tenure finished with such a mess.

Is it not the case that the taxation policies of the Government, by which, for example, it gives back to the major corporations €600 million in tax reductions in a full year and gives generous tax regimes to the multinational corporations, mean that between €15 billion and €20 billion is repatriated out of the country each year? Is it not the Government's policy to slash corporate taxes? This means that when crucial public services need to be funded, such as third level education, the idea comes forward that we should direct people who need funds for these services to the local offices of major corporations and the multinational companies. Is that any way to provide for public services or has the ethic of privatisation so infected official thinking in parts of this State that this is what we get?

Who gives the Higher Education Authority the right to make a submission to the OECD, with no discussion whatsoever among third level students, intending students or society generally? I know there are no Government proposals currently on the table with regard to the privatisation of third level institutions but does the Taoiseach rule it out completely as a matter of policy for the future? I would like the Taoiseach to state his position on this issue.

There have been no discussions by Government on any of these proposals yet. The Government is not in the business of privatising colleges. I have already said that we should try to seek ways of getting private sector companies to put money into research and development, which is the key.

I disagree with Deputy Higgins's thinking on this matter. The reason we moved from 1 million people just over a decade ago to 1.8 million people in work today is that there is a strong base of multinational companies in this country. These include chemical and pharmaceutical companies, information and communication technology and finance houses. Our low tax regime, which successive Governments have followed, has generated more corporation tax for this country, not less. We moved away from the shelters and allowances of the past, which successive Governments, with the support of all parties, except the Deputy's party, have continued to advocate. This is what has driven the Irish economy. This is how we have managed to put €26 million more into third level education than a few years ago.

These are assertions. There is no proof.

The reason we were able to expand our third level colleges is that we had more corporation tax. That high rates are the way to generate resources is the wrong thinking. It was the thinking of the 1950s, but it is time to move on.