asked the Minister for Education when she intends to reconstitute the Higher Education Authority to take cognisance of (a) the emergence of the new universities and (b) the growth and development of the regional colleges.
348.
Written Answers. - Higher Education Authority.
295.
asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the Funding Council for Higher Education in Britain, which decides on allocation of State moneys between universities, contains a majority of non-academics; and if she has considered a similar reform of the Irish Higher Education Authority, which currently has a very heavy academic majority.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 295 and 348 together.
The Higher Education Authority Act, 1971, assigns wide ranging functions to the Authority in relation to the development and expansion of higher education.
In making appointments to the Authority, the Government will have due regard to the interests of all sectors of higher education and to the desirable balance between academic and non-academic members within the requirements of the Act.