THE Minister for Education has said she will introduce further amendments to the Universities Bill in response to strong criticism of its contents from the Higher Education Authority and other groups.
Ms Breathnach has promised to be "generous" with amendments when the Bill reaches the committee stage in the Dail later this month. At talks with the heads of the seven universities last week, she indicated that further amendments were being prepared, in addition to those outlined when the Bill was introduced in the Dail.
In its advice to the Government, the HEA has called for a total of 56 amendments. Many of these are technical, but a number recommend the deletion or amendment of important sections of the Bill, relating to new controls over spending, borrowing and staffing in the colleges.
The HEA response has prompted Fianna Fail to seriously consider" the Minister's position. The party's education spokesman, Mr Micheal Martin, said if the amendments were accepted the Bill would be "rendered unrecognisable".
Mr Martin said it was "extraordinary and bizarre" that the HEA, which was appointed by the Minister herself, should be proposing so many amendments. She had "stumbled through the process" and alienated the vast majority of those involved in university life, he said.
These criticisms were rejected last night by a spokeswoman for Ms Breathnach: "Is he criticising her for being flexible and open minded, for being open to consultation? The Universities Bill is a good piece of legislation which the colleges have been waiting for 30 years and which previous administrations tried, but failed, to introduce."
The HEA has rejected as "unwarranted and too restrictive" proposed limitations on the right of the universities to borrow.
Proposed guidelines setting out the amount a college may spends on different activities are also regarded as unnecessary.
The HEA declined yesterday to comment on its response, which it said was given in confidence to the Government. However, it is understood the authority does believe there is a need for new legislation to update the framework for running the universities.
The Progressive Democrat education spokeswoman, Ms Helen Keogh, called on the Minister to withdraw the Bill. Ms Keogh accused Ms Breathnach of "incompetence" for bringing forward "half baked" proposals.
The MSF union, which represents staff at the University of Limerick, has also called for the Bill to be withdrawn.
