Sir, - Many graduates of Irish universities are appalled at the proposals in the Universities Bill 1996. Nobody will deny the need, which is long overdue, for a Bill to create a constitutional basis for independence of the constituent colleges of NUI and Maynooth.
But why extend the Bill so that the Government will seriously encroach on the autonomy of all the Irish universities? Accountability for the use of taxpayers money already exists under the umbrella of the Higher Education Authority. Why change this? Financial scandals, which have occurred in the regional technical colleges under political influence, have not occurred in the universities.
The proposed Regulations 17 and 18 in the Bill are drastic. They enable the Government to appoint a visitor to carry out an internal investigation of a university, and empower the Government to suspend "the governing authority and termination of the membership of its members".
The drafting of the Bill is unnecessarily detailed and bureaucratic, and seems more suitable for control of a government agency. If it passes through the Dail and Senate the well deserved international reputation of the Irish universities, which is based on their autonomy and tradition, will be seriously diminished. This will be much regretted by the outside world of learning, where it will not go unnoticed. - Yours, etc.,
Seabank Court,
Sandycove,
Dublin.