PROCEDURES FOR selecting candidates for honorary doctorates are broadly similar in each university. In the NUI, for example, potential names are usually brought to the NUI senate by university presidents or individual senate members.

The standing committee collates the names, and the senate votes upon them in secret ballot. If two thirds approval is obtained, the different nominees are contacted to see if they will agree to accepting the award.

Curiously, the NUI ceremonies are usually held in Iveagh House, the property of the Department of Foreign Affairs. This tradition dates back to the time of De Valera, who was once Taoiseach, Minister for External Affairs and chancellor of the NMI senate.

Increasingly, though, ceremonies are held in the colleges from which the nominations originated.

This year, the NUI is making 10 awards, compared to 19 last year. "We gave out too many last year, partly because of the decentralisation of the colleges, especially those celebrating anniversaries. There was a general feeling in the senate that we should cut back a bit," Garret Fitzgerald says.