* Under the proposed changes to the structures at Trinity College Dublin, the number of departments may be cut from 61 to as few as 20, and the number of faculties halved to just three.

* The precise number and composition of such departments and schools will be decided following an ongoing "bottom-up" consultation process with the college community. Firm decisions on this process will be taken no later than December of this year.

* Selection rather than election of heads of departments and faculties. The decision on this will be made by next month at the latest.

* The phased introduction of a new resource distribution model, based on academic criteria and using a new system of weighting, not later than September 2005.

* All new structures to be in place, on an operational basis, not later than September 2005.