Ninth Level Ireland

“Some student accommodation providers could attempt to bypass new protections for renters, the Oireachtas Education Committee has heard. The practice of forcing student renters to pay all of their rent upfront is due to end from September as part of a new Government bill which seeks to strengthen protections for all renters …” (more)

[Jody Druce, University Times, 22 July]

“The current legislation governing higher education is ‘dated’, and change is needed to allow better accountability and to provide a ‘high-quality, student-focused’ system, the Oireachtas education committee heard earlier today. The committee met to discuss the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021, which is under pre-legislative scrutiny …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 20 July]

“The controversial Higher Education Authority Bill will come before the government in its next term, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Further and Higher Education has heard. In her opening remarks, Tanya Kenny, the principal officer of quality and governance at the Department of Higher Education, said …” (more)

[Mairead Maguire, University Times, 20 July]

“Sinn Féin spokesperson on Law Reform, Pa Daly TD, has called for strict enforcement of the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Act 2021 which came into operation on 9th July 2021, following a USI bill brought forward by Sinn Féin and 56 other opposition TDs. Teachta Daly said …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 16 July]

“The IUA welcomes the publication by the Minister for Further, Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science of the ‘General Scheme of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021’ (the ‘Scheme’). The legislation governing the sector is now half a century old and requires updating to provide for the significant changes since then and to provide a legislative base that will enable the sector to grow and develop in the years ahead …” (more)

[IUA, 7 July]

“Legislative reform of the higher education sector will be ‘meaningless’ if institutions do not receive adequate funding, an Oireachtas committee has been told. Director General of the Irish Universities Association, Jim Miley, welcomed the Government’s Higher Education Authority Bill 2021, but he said the issue of ‘serious underfunding’ of the sector must also be addressed …” (more)

[Ellen O’Riordan, Irish Times, 7 July]

“The autonomy and agility of third-level institutions should not be compromised by any changes to how the institutions are run, the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Further and Higher Education has heard …” (more)

[Emer Moreau and Mairead Maguire, University Times, 6 July]

“Re: Urgent need to support the Health Insurance (International Students) (Amendment) Bill 2021. Dear Minister Donnelly, On behalf of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and our members this is an urgent appeal to you to support the Health Insurance (International Students) (Amendment) Bill 2021 …” (more)

[USI, 28 June]

“The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien TD and the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD, have today (9th June 2021) announced new student rental protections. Under the Residential Tenancies (No. 2) Bill 2021 any upfront payment upon the commencement of a tenancy will be restricted to a total value that does not exceed two months’ rent ie a deposit and one month rent in advance …” (more)

[gov.ie, 9 June]

“Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris this week granted Trinity a golden opportunity to avoid harsh blows to its autonomy. In the heads of a bill to reform university governance structures, Trinity was the only university specifically mentioned as being potentially excluded from some of the proposed reforms to college governance. How exactly this will affect changes to College Board down the line is yet to be seen …” (more)

[University Times, 9 May]

“The government has today left the door open to more flexibility in how Trinity is governed in the future, likely easing concerns that the department would grant the Higher Education Authority (HEA) sweeping powers to control how College is run …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 6 May]

“Colleges that do not comply with funding conditions will face sanctions, including having their grants withheld, under new published legislation aimed at reforming the governance of the Higher Education sector. Under the legislation, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) will be able to set conditions for funding third-level institutions and guidelines on how much of a university’s budget should be applied to its different activities …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 6 May]

“The Government has insisted that sweeping governance changes to the higher education sector will safeguard the autonomy of universities and protect academic freedom. Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris published the Higher Education Authority Bill (2021) on Thursday which amount to the biggest shake-up in third level governance in 50 years …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 6 May]

“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has today (6th May) published legislation to reform and modernise the Higher Education sector. The Higher Education Authority Act, 2021 will advance equality, diversity and inclusion at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), while ensuring they provide accountability and transparency, as well as value-for-money for public funding …” (more)

[Maura O’Shea, HEA, 6 May]

“The Cabinet is expected on Tuesday to approve draft laws on university governance, which would increase centralised supervision and give a regulator the power to fine colleges for breaching rules. The laws, to be introduced by Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris, aim to redraw the relationship between government and the institutions for the first time since the 1970s …” (more)

[Pat Leahy and Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times, 4 May]

“On Wednesday April 28th, Dail Eireann was presented with The USI’s Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Act 2021 by Sinn Fein and signed by 56 opposition TDS. In a statement from the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), they outlined the changes that would take place under the proposed Bill …” (more)

[Luke Murphy, College Tribune, 28 April]

“Government TDs are being urged to support the student accommodation bill which will be debated in Dáil Eireann on Wednesday (April 28), by the Union of Students in Ireland and Students’ Unions all over Ireland. The USI’s Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Act 2021 was tabled in late February by Sinn Fein and signed by 56 opposition TDS …” (more)

[USI, 27 April]

“Sinn Féin TD for Carlow Kilkenny Kathleen Funchion has urged cross-party support for the USI calls to provide greater protections for student renters, particularly those attending IT Carlow. The motion will be heard in the Dáil on Wednesday …” (more)

[Suzanne Pender, Carlow Nationalist, 26 April]

“This week, The University Times reported on Trinity’s submission to the government on the proposed reforms of drafted legislation which would overhaul College’s governance structures. In the submission, Trinity outlined a swathe of reasons as to why it should be exempt from the proposed legislation, including existing traditions and a ‘distinct context and legal heritage’ that distinguishes it from other universities …” (more)

[University Times, 28 March]

“The basis for these changes is of course, familiar enough, throughout the English-speaking world. The important thing, apparently, is to ensure that academics can never ultimately be masters of their own house. At the most strategic level of governance, academics must always be outvoted by non academics. You don’t hear the same demands made of doctors or lawyers …” (more)

[conradbrunstrom, 27 March]