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Third Level Facilities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 11 July 2013

Thursday, 11 July 2013

Questions (98, 99, 100, 101)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

98. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the statutory limitations on what he describes as the statutory autonomy of publicly funded universities. [34056/13]

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Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

99. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the exclusion of the public from the libraries of publicly funded universities. [34057/13]

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Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

100. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are reasonable grounds for contending that the functions of a university were being performed in a manner which prima facie constitutes a breach of the laws, statutes, or ordinances applicable to the university; if he has ever been of that opinion; the university or universities on which he has had that opinion. [34058/13]

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Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

101. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he maintains that the publicly funded universities are at liberty to exclude as a rule the public from their libraries; his views on what is meant by promoting learning in society generally, one of the statutory objects of universities, according to section 12 of the Universities Act 1997, if not the admission and use of the public of the libraries of publicly funded universities. [34059/13]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 to 101, inclusive, together.

As indicated previously, universities are responsible for the operation and management of their facilities and independently decide arrangements whereby access to their libraries may be allowed. I understand that, in general, universities do facilitate access by the public for genuine scholarly and research purposes, where this is possible. Having regard to the many practical considerations involved in the management of a university campus, this is a reasonable policy. In the circumstances, I can add nothing further to the responses I have given to previous questions and representations by the Deputy on these issues.

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