Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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790. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his intended timeline for the publication of the proposed students’ union Bill, as referred to in his speech relating to the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 in Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25574/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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During the debate on the Higher Education Authority Act 2022, a number of amendments to the Higher Education Authority Bill were requested by Senators relating to the inclusion of a definition of student union. I stated in the Seanad that I had assessed and considered these amendments but had received legal advice that the Higher Education Authority Act was not the appropriate place to define student unions or confer any rights or powers on student unions. The legal advice received was that there could be an unintended consequence of narrowing the scope of the role of student unions by including a student union definition in the Act.

I stated in the Seanad that a full assessment with national and local student unions and other stakeholders would be required in advance of developing a Student Union Bill. I wrote to the Union of Students in Ireland in September 2022 requesting their views on the development of separate legislation on Student Unions.

It is important to point out that the Higher Education Authority Act, 2022 does not include any provisions which infringe on student union autonomy or the democratic nature of student unions. The Act includes provisions for consultation with the national and local students’ unions and also includes a provision that the Higher Education Authority (HEA) may issue guidelines, codes and policies to Higher Education Institutions. These policies, codes and guidelines could provide guidance to institutions on student union autonomy and the role for the student union and other matters of interest and importance to students including partnership agreements.