The Government-commissioned report has also proposed that colleges should record and report incidents of sexual harassment, assault and rape on campuses - rather than leaving it to the gardai.

Thirteen of the 14 institutes of technology have yet to submit an application for the gender equality benchmark needed by the end of next year to be eligible for public research funding.

Doubts have been cast over a proposal by an American university to site a European campus on an Office of Public Works site in west Waterford, with any likely development now expected to be downscaled.