Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Nov 1995

Vol. 457 No. 7

Written Answers. - St. Patrick's College Maynooth Board of Trustees.

Eric J. Byrne

Question:

204 Mr. E. Byrne asked the Minister for Education the plans, if any, that exist to replace a board of trustees in the part of St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, which is publicly funded and a co-educational institutional part of the National University which is exclusively Catholic, clerical and male, with a body more representative of society as a whole. [16061/95]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach):

St Patrick's College, Maynooth was given recognised college status of the National University of Ireland in 1910. As it is not a constituent college of the NUI, there is no provision for a charter or governing body under the Irish Universities Act, 1908.

As indicated in the White Paper on EducationCharting our Education Future it is my intention to proceed with the amendment of the National University of Ireland legislation, on the basis of proposals put forward by the Senate of the National University of Ireland. Under these proposals, the recognised college at Maynooth, as well as the existing constituent colleges at Dublin, Cork and Galway, would become constituent universities of the National University of Ireland. The legislation will also set out the composition of governing bodies for the constituent universities.