I am grateful for this opportunity to raise the issue of students in UCD who are taking the Legal and Business Studies course which started in 1991. It was to be a two pronged course. Fifty per cent of the subjects were in the commerce and business area and 50 per cent in the legal area. Parents and students were under the impression that when students pursued this course and entered UCD, they would be able to move into the legal area at the end of the BBLS degree. Two years later they discovered this is not the case. There are ongoing negotiations between the Dean of the Law Faculty in UCD and Blackhall Place and the King's Inns in relation to exemptions. The parents are very concerned that this may not happen. Will the Minister lend his support to obtaining exemptions for students who entered the course with the view that this would happen? The students have asked me to raise this for them.
It is a pity UCD did not do its homework before putting on a course. I now take off my Senator's hat and put on my guidance counsellor's one. I have to deal with this problem. When one looks at the books, the impression is given, although it is not in writing, that students will be entitled to exemptions. They are following five of the same subjects which are part of the law degree, the BCL. Law degree students get exemptions to Blackhall Place. I ask that students in the Business and Legal Studies be given exemptions in five of the eight subjects needed for the entrance exam to Blackhall Place as this would make it a little easier for them.
UCD had the philosophy that one could do postgraduate work in business or pursue a law postgraduate course after the BBLS but this has not happened and I am very concerned about this. We need the backing of the Minister for UCD to pursue this. Students of similar new courses in Limerick and Galway are entitled to exemptions. I do not know why UCD is dragging its heels at this stage. I would like to think we would be in a position to say that if UCD put on a course they should follow it through. The students are very upset. Some of them will qualify in the next year or two, wondering whether they can pursue courses in Blackhall Place or whether they will have to repeat all these subjects from scratch. This does not make sense. The purpose of this course was to provide two career paths for these students. This is why I am asking the Minister for his support. I appreciate he has come here late at night to listen to me.