Controversial bill to overhaul university sector delayed until autumn

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris at has delayed the bill on how Ireland's universities are run. Picture: Damien Storan.

The Government’s controversial bill to overhaul how Ireland’s universities are run has been delayed until the autumn.

Amid concern from senators that the bill was “rushed” and should be paused, Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has decided to delay the passage of the bill rather than guillotine it in the final week of the Dáil term.

The bill is proposing the greatest overhaul of how colleges are governed since 1971, including changes to governance structures and financing.

In the Seanad, Trinity Senator David Norris said the Higher Education Authority Bill represents a power grab of the permanent Government in Ireland — the powerful, senior bureaucracy.

Senator David Norris said the bill has become an attack on the university sector. Picture: Gareth Chaney Collins

He said what started as a review of the first 50 years of the Higher Education Authority has today become an attack on the university sector, which is 430 years old. 

“It is a sector that has served Ireland well and should not be under attack in this bill,” he said.

The bill has not been widely debated in either the universities or wider society because of a democratic deficit, Mr Norris said.

This is about openness and accountability.

“Recently, the Taoiseach called for a controversial appointment at TCD to be paused. This bill should also be paused, as in the words of the Taoiseach,” Mr Norris added.

Far too few people have been involved in its preparation, he said, adding the Bill proposes layers of extra bureaucracy in the HEA and in the colleges on the assumption that Irish universities underperform and that the bill offers a cure in this regard. 

“Irish universities and colleges do not underperform,” he added.

Another critic of the bill, vice-chancellor of Trinity College Dublin and former senator Sean Barrett said Trinity is a royal charter corporation and a vital part of the diversity of traditions and identities on the island of Ireland. 

It has a record of outstanding service over 430 years.

Student leaders from Trinity and other colleges have penned an open letter to say the conduct of the government was disgraceful.

“We sat and watched as 326 proposed amendments were reduced to six, with none of them accepted by Minister Harris. 

The debate that defines the future of third-level education for decades to come in Ireland was cut short, with no input taken onboard.

“We believe this to be disgraceful behaviour by Minister Harris — not to mention a promise broken,” the students’ letter said.

For his part, Mr Harris insists there is no rush with this bill and rescheduling the bill is a move to prevent it from being guillotined.

Sources close to the minister said he is in “no political rush” and does not want to limit the debate so there is little difference to it being passed this week or allowing it to wait until the Dáil returns in September.

On Trinity College Dublin, Mr Harris said Government’s position is clear that it is not good governance that the Trinity Provost can occupy both the CEO and chairman of the board role in the college.

“We don't think it's good governance and in fact, it's not good governance, to have the idea that effectively the chief executive of the university can also be the chair of the board. That is the case here in Trinity. And it's got to change and it's got to change by law,” he said.