Yesterday we heard that the Minister for Education and Skills intended to legislate to ban cheating services at third level. While legislation to strengthen Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, is welcome, it is hardly the most pressing matter in the education system. A year after his appointment we still have not seen the Minister's response to the Labour Party's Equal Status (Admission to Schools) Bill which was passed in this House and is due to formally pass Second Stage on 28 June. I am interested in a range of other Bills in the education sphere, but I wish to ask about one in particular. Will the Taoiseach provide an update on the Technological Universities Bill which has been stuck on Committee Stage since before the last election? The Bill is absolutely essential for the amalgamation of the institutes of technology and the creation of new technological universities, for which enormous efforts have been made. Originally there seemed to be a blockage because of a dispute with a trade union, but it cannot be the case that this is an impediment to an essential part of the third level education strategy. When will the Bill be advanced?

I will ask the Minister for Education and Skills to deal with that question.

The Deputy has referred to three Bills-----

As I am only allowed to refer to one, I thought I would reference the other two.

First, regarding the QQI Bill, it is important that we have a robust system in place to ensure standards and the reputation of the education system. The Bill is important in that context. As the Deputy knows, we have the ambition to earn €2.1 billion from international students. That would represent a 33% increase in the number of such students and we need to underpin it with legislation. Regarding the Labour Party Bill, we have had consultations on the changes to which the Deputy referred. The Dáil and the Oireachtas committee were given a 12-month period in which to look at this issue. As the Deputy said, that 12-month period will come to an end in June. In the meantime very considerable work has been done on the Bill.

Regarding the Technological Universities Bill, I am pleased to report that we have made significant progress with the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI. The issues raised by it would have a profound impact on the progress of the Bill which we all want to see, particularly in respect of the institutes in the south east. I am pleased that the TUI will be putting the issues to a ballot. That will represent very significant progress on the Bill-----

When will the Bill progress?

The Bills must be introduced in such a manner as to ensure their passage through the Dáil.

I have never heard of legislation being held up pending the outcome of a trade union ballot.

If there are outstanding issues on which the House will not agree, we need to find a way to resolve them before bringing the legislation back before the House. That is what I am seeking to do.

The Minister needs to engage with the House. There has been no engagement whatsoever.