asked the Minister for Education if he will state as regards the Commission on Higher Education (1) the number of years that elapsed between the date of the announcement by the Minister for Education of the setting up of the commission and the date of the presentation of the final report to him; (2) the number of members of the commission, with their names and qualifications; (3) the total number of meetings held by the commission; (4) the number of bodies and individuals from whom the commission received (a) submissions and (b) evidence; (5) the number of educational institutions visited by the commission; (6) the number of countries visited by the commission; (7) the total cost to the State of the commission, including salaries of civil servants seconded to the secretariat, travelling expenses, printing, etc.; (8) the recommendations made by the commission regarding the setting up of the Higher Education Authority with special reference to (a) the number of persons to be on the Higher Education Authority, (b) the bodies to be represented, or not represented, by the members of the Higher Education Authority, and (c) the name of the Minister to whom the Higher Education Authority should report.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Commission on Higher Education.
With your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate in the Official Report a statement giving the information sought by the Deputy in so far as it is available.
Following is the statement :
The information requested by the Deputy in parts (3), (4), (5) and (6) of his question is contained in the Summary of the Report of the Commission on Higher Education published in March, 1967.
The answers to the other parts of the question are :
(1) The commission was appointed in October, 1960 and completed its work in October, 1967. In addition to the Summary of its Report referred to above, Volume I of the Commission's Report was published in August, 1967 and Volume 2 in April, 1968.
(2) The commission consisted originally of 28 members. A vacancy caused by the death of one member was filled; another member retired and was not replaced. Following are the names and qualifications of all the members:—
An Príomh-Bhreitheamh Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh—Chairman; Dr. C.S. Andrews, former Chairman, Radio Telefís Éireann, former Chairman, Córas Iompair Éireann; Mr. Daniel Buckley, B.A., Secondary Teacher; Professor Herbert Butterfield, D.Litt., Master of Peterhouse, University of Cambridge; Mr. Charles F. Carter, M.A., Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lancaster; William Cardinal Conway, D.D., D.C.L., Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland— retired from commission, February, 1964; Lieutenant-General Michael J. Costello, LL.D., former General Manager, Comhlucht Siúicre Éireann, Teo.; Mr. Martin J. Cranley, M.Sc., Director-General, Institute for Industrial Research and Standards; former Principal, College of Science and Technology, Kevin Street, Dublin; Mr. John Dempsey, B.Sc., A.R.C.Sc.L, former Secretary, Department of Agriculture; An Bráthair Oirmhinneach S. S. de Faoite, BA., former Superior of the Christian Brothers' Schools, Sexton Street, Limerick; Dr. Juan N. Greene, former President, National Teachers' Association; the late Mr. Joseph Griffin, Director, Irish Glass Bottle Co. Limited—deceased 2nd March, 1967; the late Professor Edward Keenan, M.D., Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, University College, Dublin—deceased 11th February, 1962; Dr. James J. McElligott, Director, Central Bank of Ireland; former Secretary, Department of Finance; Dr. John J. McHenry, M.A., F.Inst.P., M.R.I.A., former President, University College, Cork; Right Rev. Mons. P. J. McLaughlin, B.D., D.Sc., P.P., former Professor of Experimental Physics, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth; Professor James Mitchell, B.Sc., B.E., F.G.S., former Registrar, University College, Galway; Professor Theodore W. Moody, M.A., Ph.D., D.Litt., F.T.C.D., Professor of Modern History, Trinity College, Dublin; Dr. Patrick G. Murphy, B.Sc., M.E., M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech.E., former Chief Engineer, Electricity Supply Board; Seán Ó Cadhla, M.A., former Chief Inspector of National Schools; Labhrás Ó Gotharaigh, B.Agr.Sc., Headmaster, Vocational School, Portumna, County Galway; Seán Ó Lideadha, Principal, Central Model School, Dublin; Liam Ó Luanaigh, Iar-Uachtarán, Comhdháil Náisiúnta na Gaeilge; Professor Eoin O'Malley, M.Ch., F.R.C.S.I., Professor of Surgery, University College, Dublin —appointed 15th March, 1962; The Right Rev. Richard Gordon Perdue, D.D., Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross; The Most Rev. William Philbin, D.D., Bishop of Down and Connor; Phillis, Bean Uí Cheallaigh, M.Sc.; Máirín, Bean Uí Chinnéide, M.A.; Dr. Thomas Walsh, Director, An Foras Talúntais.
(7) The approximate cost of the commission's work to date is £86,500 of which about £17,200 represents printing charges. Some further printing costs are still outstanding.
(8) The commission recommended the establishment under an Act of the Oireachtas of a body to be known as "The Commission for Higher Education." The commission's recommendation and its proposals regarding the membership and functions of this body are to be found in paragraphs 18.27-18.32 of Chapter 18 in Volume I of the Commission's Report.