Key documents

Important recent documents, official or semi-official, relating to Irish universities are as follows:

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Supporting a Better Transition from Second Level to High Education

Published 27 March 2013, linked from here.
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Draft Public Service Agreement

Published by the LRC on 26 February 2013, linked from here.
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Completing the Landscape Process for Irish Higher Education

Published by the HEA on 16 January 2013, linked from here.
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National Survey of Employers’ Views of Irish Higher Education Outcomes

Published by the HEA on 14 January 2013, linked from here.
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Higher Education Landscape

Three documents, released to the public by the HEA on 16 November 2012. Firstly, A Proposed Reconfiguration of the Irish System of Higher Education (9 August 2012) (“the Van Vught Report”), which made a number of proposals for merging Irish institutions, most famously a merger of TCD and UCD. Secondly, A Study of Future Demand for Higher Education in Ireland (15 November 2012). And thirdly, Institutional Responses to the Landscape Document and Achieving the Objectives of the National Strategy for Higher Education: A Gap Analysis, which provides background.
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General Scheme of a Universities (Amendment) Bill 2012

Heads of Proposed Bill making amendments to the Universities Act 1997, published 3 October 2012, linked from here.
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Reform of Selection and Entry to University in the Context of National Educational Policy

Communication from the IUA Council to Minister for Education and Skills, Mr Ruairi Quinn TD, published 21 August 2012, linked from here.
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Matters Arising out of Education Audits, Special Report

This is a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General in relation to the Department of Education and Skills, published 6 June 2012, linked from here.
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Third Report of the Organisational Review Programme

Chapter 3 is a report on the operation of the Department of Education and Skills, published 9 May 2012, linked from here.
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HEA Strategic Plan 2012-2016

Higher Education Authority, published 27 March 2012, linked from here.
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Report of the Research Prioritisation Steering Group

Report of the Research Prioritisation Steering Group, published 1 March 2012, linked from here.
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Towards a Future Higher Education Landscape

Report to the Minister for Education and Skills from the HEA, published 13 February 2012, linked from here.
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From Transaction to Transition: Outcomes of the Conference on the Transition from Second to Third-Level Education in Ireland

Report to the Minister for Education and Skills from the HEA and the NCCA, published 22 December 2011, linked from here.
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Sustainability Study – Aligning Participation, Quality and Funding in Irish Higher Education

Report to the Minister for Education and Skills from the Executive of the HEA, published 15 December 2011, linked from here.
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Criteria for Technological University Designation

Prepared for the HEA by Simon Marginson, published 24 November 2011 (HEA), linked from here.
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Ten Years On: Confirming Impacts from Research Investment

“A case study focusing on the direct commercial and economic impacts from exchequer investment .. supported by the PRTLI 2000-2006″, published 19 September 2011 (HEA), linked from here.
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Entry to Higher Education in Ireland in the 21st Century (“the Hyland Report”)

Published 7 September 2011, Discussion Paper for the NCCA / HEA Seminar to be held on 21st Sep 2011, linked from here.
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Employment Control Framework for the Higher Education Sector 2011-2014

“The ECF”, as revised June 2011, linked from here.
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Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 – First Progress Report

June 2011, linked from here.
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Employment Control Framework for the Higher Education Sector 2011-2014 (the “ECF”)

March 2011, as put into effect just as Fianna Fail were leaving office, linked from here.
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Programme for Government 2011-2016

March 2011, as agreed by Fine Gael and Labour as their joint plan for coalition government, linked from here.
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National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 (“The Hunt Report”)

January 2011, Strategy Group and DES, linked from here.
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Playing to Our Strengths – The Role of the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences and Implications for Public Policy

September 2010, IRCHSS and HEA, linked from here.
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Investing in Global Relationships – Ireland’s International Education Strategy 2010-15

September 2010, Report of the High-Level Group on International Education to the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, linked from here.
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Irish Universities – Resource Management and Performance

September 2010, Comptroller and Auditor General, linked from here. The section on overpayments to particular university officers grabbed the headlines, but it also covers a wide variety of matters on pay, pension, management, and teaching quality.
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Public Service Agreement (“The Croke Park agreement”)

March 2010, linked from here. The agreement has wide implications across the public service, though there are some sectoral provisions of particular relevance to universities and ITs.
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Report of the Innovation Taskforce

March 2010, linked from here.
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NUI Galway – University of Limerick Strategic Alliance

February 2010, linked from here.
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Cahill v. DCU

Supreme Court, December 2009, linked from here. The earlier judgment (here) is also of interest.
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Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes (“An Bord Snip”)

July 2009, part 1 and part 2.
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Financial Measures (Miscellaneous Provisions) 2009

June 2009, linked from here – this statute authorises the merger of university pensions schemes into the general public service scheme.
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UCD/Trinity Innovation Alliance

March 2009 – the alliance’s website is here.
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Fanning v. UCC

Supreme Court, October 2008 – the opinion is here. An earlier judgment is also of interest.
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Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector

Report No. 42 to the Minister for Finance, September 2007, linked from here.
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Application by WIT for designation as a university: Advice to the Minister (“the Port Report”)

July 2007, linked from here.
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OECD Report: Higher Education in Ireland (“the Skilbeck Report”)

November 2006, summarised here.
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OECD Review of Higher Education in Ireland

2004, here.

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