Seanad debates

Tuesday, 13 February 2018

Technological Universities Bill 2015: Committee Stage (Resumed)

 

2:30 pm

Photo of Gerard CraughwellGerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Amendments Nos. 19 and 20, which are being taken together, are trying to guarantee that there will be a student on the academic council. That is what we are trying to do. Legislation that is written today may not be questioned for the next 50 years; indeed, it might not be questioned for the next 100 years. On the day it is questioned, however, if it is not clear that there must be at least one student on the academic council, the man or woman with the wig, the judge who will ultimately be the arbitrator of the legislation if it is challenged, will turn around and say that the legislation simply states "as it considers appropriate" and that a board of governors may look at this question and decide that it is inappropriate for there to be a student on the academic council at a given time. That can happen and it is for that reason and that reason alone that we must ensure that at least one student will be on the academic council. It has to happen. Nobody in this room can put hand on heart and say that this will never happen.

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