“The Students Union at NUI Galway is voicing its support for a new bill aimed at protecting student renters during the pandemic. The proposed bill is supported by Sinn Fein, Social Democrats, Labour Party, Solidarity-People Before Profit and Independents for Change …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 25 February]
“The Union of Students (USI) in Ireland has called on the Oireachtas to pass a Bill being tabled on Thursday that would force landlords to return prepaid rents to students who cannot live in the accommodation due to public health restrictions. The Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Bill 2021 would also enable students to terminate contracts on accommodation they no longer need because of Covid-19 …” (more)
[Colin Gleeson, Irish Times, 25 February]
“Sinn Féin spokesperson on Housing Eoin Ó Broin TD and spokesperson on Higher Education Rose Conway-Walsh TD have commented on the launch of the Residential Tenancies (Student Rents and Other Protections) (Covid-19) Bill 2021. The Bill has been signed by 56 opposition TDs and was launched with the USI today …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 25 February]
“Simon Harris has launched a stakeholder consultation on the reform of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) legislation. A report on this reform has also been published by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science …” (more)
[Rosie Kuntz, College Tribune, 23 February]
“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD has today (19 February, 2021) launched a stakeholder consultation on the reform of the Higher Education Authority legislation. A report to update stakeholders on the recent developments in the reform of the legislation has also been published …” (more)
[MerrionStreet.ie, 19 February]
“A bill which would see student nurses and midwives paid the same rate as health care assistants is due to be debated in the Seanad this afternoon. However, Cabinet decided during the week that it’s not going to oppose the opposition bill in the hope of sending it ‘into the ether’ …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 19 February]
“Labour Senator Annie Hoey has accused the government of ‘playing games in order to avoid bad headlines’ after Cabinet decided yesterday that it’s not going to oppose the latest bill on student nurses’ pay in the hope of sending it ‘into the ether’. Hoey‘s Student Nurses (Pay) Bill 2020, due before the Seanad this Friday, would ensure student nurses and midwives are paid at a minimum at the same rate as healthcare assistants when working in the health service as part of their training …” (more)
[Adam Daly, TheJournal.ie, 17 February]
“The Government is set to consider passing a sweeping new Bill which will enable the Minister for Higher Education, Innovation and Research to suspend and replace the governing bodies of state-funded universities if there are serious concerns around their operation. Alongside suspensory powers, imposing financial and non-financial penalties against universities are also part of the proposed bill …” (more)
[Rowan Kelleher, College Tribune, 4 February]
“Alarm bells sounded last week when this newspaper reported that the government is considering a bill which would give the Minister for Higher Education the power to suspend or replace the governing bodies of a state-funded universities if it has serious concerns about how the institution is being run …” (more)
[University Times, 31 January]
“The government will this year consider passing a bill that would give the Minister for Higher Education the power to suspend and replace the governing body of state-funded universities, if there are very serious concerns about how the institution is operating …” (more)
[Cormac Watson, University Times, 28 January]
“University governing bodies will be smaller and feature more external members under new legislation to be published next year, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said. He said current legislation on higher education governance is ‘not fit for purpose and does not reflect the world in which we live’ …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 20 November]
“Higher Education Minister Simon Harris pledged to bring forward legislation overhauling current governance structures in higher education institutions, and called some current governance structures ‘archaic’ …” (more)
[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 2 September]
“The Government is examining new measures to crack down on large gatherings, such as college parties, after Health Minister Stephen Donnelly’s plans to make it a criminal offence to have more than six people in a person’s home were blocked by the Cabinet …” (more)
[Hugh O’Connell, Independent, 30 August]
“President Michael D Higgins signed the Residential Tenancies and Valuation Act 2020 into law on August 1st, ensuring tenants who are struggling to pay rent as a result of the pandemic remain protected. This legislation has been met with mixed opinions with Sinn Féin Housing Spokesperson Eoin Ó Broin, one of many opponents to the act describing the measure as an ‘attack on renters’ …” (more)
[Oisín Magfhogartaigh, College Tribune, 18 August]
“Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael): I move: ‘That the Bill be now read a Second Time’. It is a great pleasure to present to the House the Ministers and Secretaries and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Bill 2020, which passed all Stages in the Seanad yesterday. This Bill establishes, for the first time in the history of the State, a Department focused on further and higher education, research, innovation and science. We will now have a Department whose chief remit will be the further and higher education needs of our economy and our people …” (debate, resumed debate)
[Dáil debates, 24 July]
“Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail): … I thank the Cathaoirleach for the opportunity to present the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill 2020 to the House. The primary purpose of the Bill is to establish the new Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The establishment of the Department is a major initiative of the new Government. It underscores our strong belief that the interface of knowledge, skills, innovation and access to educational opportunity at further and higher level is critical to our future prosperity and fairness as a society …” (more)
[Seanad debates, 23 July]
“Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail): I move: That leave be granted to introduce Bill entitled an Act to provide for the amendment of the Seanad Electoral (University Members) Acts 1937 to 2006, to provide for the provisions of the seventh amendment of Bunreacht na hÉireann and to extend the franchise of the university panel of Seanad Éireann to all people who are over eighteen and are holders of an appropriate third level qualification from an Irish Institute of Higher Education and to provide for related matters …” (more)
[Seanad debates, 16 July]
“On the 13th of July, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD, welcomed government approval to publish legislation to establish his department as a major ministry. According to Minister Harris, the Cabinet has approved the new Department which will now be proposed to Dáil and Seanad Éireann …” (more)
[Ahmed Jouda, College Tribune, 14 July]
“More than 40 years after a referendum was passed to extend Seanad voting rights to graduates of all third level institutions, legislation to finally give effect to the result could be among the first Bills debated if a new government is formed …” (more)
[Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times, 22 June]
“Residents living near University College Cork have called on the HSE and gardaí to use powers available under health legislation to stop students and others having house parties. Magazine Road and Surrounding Areas Residents Association spokeswoman Catherine Clancy said the gardaí and the HSE should use the 1947 Health Act to stop parties in the area in the interest of public health …” (more)
[Barry Roche, Irish Times, 8 June]
