The Trinity College Dublin and the University of Dublin (Charters and Letters Patent Amendment Bill) was finally passed, but it remained unclear whether its proponents or opponents had won the day.
The Bill facilitates the appointment of a Government nominee to the board of Trinity. The Progressive Democrats had wanted to delete the term "University of Dublin" from the bill on the basis that that entity had not consulted its electorate about the measure. Under an amendment arrived at between the promoters and some of those opposed to the Bill, references to the University of Dublin were deleted in some sections. But it was agreed, on the proposal of the Leas Cathaoirleach, Mr Liam Cosgrave, that the Act should be held to include the University of Dublin, except where the context required otherwise in accordance with the charters and letters patent relating to Trinity.
Trinity senator Mr David Norris said the history of this long and technical debate proved better than anything else the value to Trinity graduates of their representation in the Seanad. Without that representation, the interference of political interests would have created an enormous mess as a result of which the validity of degrees could be challenged and the university would have been placed in serious difficulty. Under the Bill, the integrity of academic freedom was established for the future, said Mr Norris. Trinity now assumed its proper role as a leading element within the distinguished framework of the Irish university system, rather than remaining isolated.
Fellow Trinity senator Mr Sean Ross, said he was delighted that after Herculean efforts by himself and Mr Norris, the Bill would be enacted and would safeguard the political and economic independence of Dublin University. The importance of what had happened yesterday was that TCD included the use of the phrase The University of Dublin, because that had all sorts of legislative implications, including the awarding of degrees. It also gave the university the right to call itself what it liked.
Dr Mary Henry, (Ind) said the most important aspect of the legislation was that the board of Trinity would now include academic staff who were not fellows, members of non-academic staff, students and so forth.