Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not accept amendment No. 16. The principle of academic freedom is a defining characteristic of high quality higher education and research throughout the world. This Bill rightly ensures that academic freedom shall apply in technological universities in the same way as it applies in universities. It is understood internationally that academic freedom applies to the academic staff of higher education institutions. Extending academic freedom to students would put technological universities in a different position from their peers, both within the State and internationally.

In addition the whole doctrine of academic freedom is based on protecting the security of employment of tenured academics. As students are not employees their time within the institution is, by definition, limited and there are appropriate policies in place within institutions to protect students.

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