Marie Louise O'Donnell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I wish to make some observations about the Bill generally and I am sorry that they do not speak to the amendment. First, there is not enough included about the registrar. A registrar is an academic reference point for ethos and standards and he or she should be a member of the governing authority. I do not think that is in the Bill. There is also no reference to the university secretary being on the governing authority. I agree with Senator Ruane that we are trying to parallel the university system here. It is a very important position because it has legal as well as academic authority. I find it fascinating also that there is no schedule setting out the role of the president. The role of a president in any university is very important because he or she can come from outside. They do not necessarily come from inside the campus. That is extremely important. There is also no reference to the president as Accounting Officer for the university.

I also feel that, because this is a Bill on technological universities, there should be more emphasis on teaching. Half of the universities live in their heads and many people in universities do not know how to teach. Teaching is a strength of technological universities and there should be more reference to it in the Bill. There is no schedule about the role of the chairman of the governing authority, and he or she also usually comes from outside. What is the role of the chairman? What are their duties? What is expected of him or her? It is a serious role and he or she has a duty to be informed, to act in accordance with the university ethos and to keep the governing authority in line. In turn, he or she is to be kept in line legally by the secretary. They are huge roles and I would like to see more emphasis on them. These are just general observations. I do not have a problem with the Bill otherwise but these are just my general feelings about it.