asked the Minister for Education whether he proposes to introduce a new Bill relating to higher education; and, if so, when.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Higher Education Legislation.
44.
I expect to be in a position to introduce a Bill at an early date.
Can the Minister say whether this refers to university education in Dublin or to other aspects?
It may be necessary to have two Bills. Certainly we will have the first Bill here very shortly and then a further Bill. This is a very detailed job so far as the draftsman is concerned. Certainly we will be having a measure before the House very shortly dealing with higher education.
I am anxious to find out does this refer to the proposal concerning UCD and TCD.
It is partly in it and partly out of it, because we have to set up separate university institutions and separate statutory provisions for each university. This will take very detailed drafting. The initial Bill will establish the higher education authority on a statutory basis and it will establish a conference of Irish universities, both of which recommendations are contained in the Report of the Commission on Higher Education. It will also establish a council for awarding technicians' awards that will be universally recognised, and also a council for awarding statutory degrees where certain standards are reached in nonuniversity institutions that are comparable to and can be equated with university standards so far as degrees are concerned. That will be the initial Bill. We will then have a further Bill to set up the separate universities in Galway, Cork and Dublin. So really this is a two-tiered operation and will require two separate statutes.
The Minister referred to recognition for technicians' degrees and statutory degrees. Are they two separate types of degree?
No, indeed. I want to answer Deputy O'Malley as well as Deputy Cosgrave on this. So far as Limerick is concerned and any other institutions of this kind, polytechnic institutions, what we propose to do is to have by statute a council established that will award degrees to such institutions that will be equated to university standard degrees—what are regarded as traditional university standard degrees.
Will it have the same recognition?
Yes. This is the situation in which it operates in Britain, Germany and other countries.