asked the Minister for Education if he will make a statement on the role of the Conference of Irish Universities and on the future of this conference.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Conference of Irish Universities.
21.
A recommendation was made in the Report of the Commission on Higher Education that there should be a Conference of Irish Universities. The Higher Education Authority in their Report on University Re-Organisation (July 1972) recommended that such a conference should be established by the universities themselves on a voluntary basis.
In June, 1974, the university colleges established, on an ad hoc basis, a conference of Irish Universities. Matters discussed at meetings of the conference since 1974 included university entrance requirements, mobility of staff, staff and student participation in the management of the colleges.
It is understood that there are different views among the participants as to the usefulness of the conference. Accordingly, it is not feasible at this stage to state what the future developments may be in relation to it.