(South Tipperary) and Mr. Coogan asked the Minister for Education whether there is any Government policy on the question of admission of foreign undergraduates to Irish university colleges as regards either country of origin or number; and the respective positions of the State and the universities in such determination.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Admission of Foreign Undergraduates.
59.
Mr. P. Hogan
The regulations governing the admission of foreign students to Irish universities are set out in the relevant university Calendars. The Government is in general agreement with the recommendation of the Commission on Higher Education that about ten per cent of under-graduate places in the universities might be available for students from abroad.
Does the Minister think that the overtaxed Irish taxpayers should continue subsidising students engaged in subversive activities in some of our universities at present?
I think the question implies a judgment that would require some investigation before being passed. The Deputy is asserting that there are subversives in support——
At least in one of our universities certainly.
I think he should produce more evidence than that before a responsible Minister would make a judgment on it.
A responsible Minister, or at least a Minister has spoken out already and said that they will be sent home. The Minister for Education has already said that.
And the net result of all that was that they sent him home out through the lavatory window. It was not a very dignified procedure.
I do not think the Minister has passed a judgment on any individual students and I think that he has left it to the universities to handle their own affairs.
Why should Irish Ministers be chased out through lavatory windows and over the back wall and, incidentally, Irish Ministers should not go out through lavatory windows in any university. If they have not got the guts to face the mobs they go down to address, they should not go to address them at all.
I understand he was not allowed to address them.
If he was not he should not go out through the lavatory window. He should go out through the door.
The Deputy should realise that the choice facing him might have been that which, as the Deputy says, was not very dignified or, alternatively, a much worse situation could have arisen.
What worse? Having to face a mob?
No, not that.
If it is necessary to face a mob the mob should be faced. The time has come to face the mobs in this country and unless somebody is prepared to do it we shall all be run by mobs. If they try to hound me anywhere I will walk through the mob and if I get killed in the process it will be well worth while.