Bertie the lecturer a ‘morally offensive’ proposition

AS a member of FEE (Free Education for Everyone) in Maynooth, and as a concerned student, I would like to respond to Ryle Dwyer’s column headlined ‘Did highly paid academics object because Bertie would do it for free?’ (November 28).

This question is clearly trying implicitly to ascribe some cynical ulterior motive to the opposition to Bertie Ahern’s appointment as honorary professor. However, when one dissects it, this position makes no sense.

Clearly, academics are not motivated by self-interested concern for their pay, as the handful of lectures Mr Ahern will be giving will have no effect whatsoever on the pay or conditions of academic staff.