I join colleagues who have called in recent weeks for a debate on the system of processing passports which comes within the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. In common with other public representatives, I have been inundated in recent months with queries from people who have discovered their passport is out of date or about to expire and are in a panic because they have flights booked to travel on holiday or business. Will the Leader ask the Department to put in place a system whereby people would be notified, either by e-mail or text message, within six months of the expiration of their passport? This would afford them ample opportunity to renew their passport. I pay tribute to the departmental officials who frequently assist us in facilitating the public in obtaining passports at short notice in cases of emergency. It would be helpful, however, if the Department would launch a media campaign to remind people to check the status of their passport. In addition, we should have a system, as I have suggested, whereby passport holders would be notified by electronic means that the renewal date is imminent.

I did not have an opportunity yesterday to welcome the announcement made by my namesake, the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance and Personnel, Mr. Sammy Wilson, of an allocation of €21 million for the construction of a bridge linking counties Louth and Down at Narrow Water. I pay tribute to everybody who campaigned for this initiative in the past 35 years, including the late Councillor Micheál Ó Domhnaill and sitting Councillor Peter Savage of Louth County Council, as well as Deputy Seamus Kirk and the former Deputy, Mr. Dermot Ahern. Several Members of this House were lauded yesterday for their efforts in this regard, including Senator Mary White. I take the opportunity to pay particular tribute to Senator Terry Brennan. He is the one man in the past 35 years-----

Senator Terry Brennan was congratulated on the Order of Business yesterday.

I did not have an opportunity to congratulate him.

The Senator can do so in the ante-room.

Senator Terry Brennan has persisted for 35 years in pushing for this project. I am delighted to see his aspiration become a reality. Well done to him.

The construction of a bridge at Narrow Water would not have happened 20 or even ten years ago. The allocation of such a significant sum for this purpose by the Northern Ireland Government is very welcome. I congratulate everybody who helped to bring the project to fruition, especially Senator Terry Brennan.

In response to the point raised by Senator Diarmuid Wilson, I have always found the Passport Office to be very receptive, particularly where an individual has had a death in the family. The staff are very accommodating in such circumstances, not just in response to requests made by Oireachtas Members.

Will the Leader arrange a debate on third level education, including the proposals announced today for the linking of a number of colleges? We should take the opportunity to have our say in this regard before a final decision is made. The other day I expressed my concern at the increasing tendency on the part of institutes of technology to neglect manufacturing and technology in favour of more academic disciplines. We must have a combination of both. The proposal to link a number of colleges is worthy of debate in this House and I hope it will be accommodated in the coming weeks.