Ninth Level Ireland

“Lynn Ruane (Independent): I move: That Seanad Éireann: calls for a debate on the bullying and sexual harassment that exists for faculty, students and staff in Ireland’s third-level institutions; notes that third-level institutions should not support the use of non-disclosure agreements, which limits accountability of perpetrators, in such instances; and calls on the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to commit that such issues when they arise, will be dealt with in a holistic and trauma-informed manner …” (more)

[Seanad debates, 21 September]

“Last week, Fianna Fail Senator Malcolm Byrne labelled the rising costs of student accommodation in Ireland as ‘outrageous’, particularly the accommodation provided by UCD. Byrne expressed his shock and disappointment during a Seanad debate regarding the Residential Tenancies Bill in which he campaigned for an enhanced supply of student housing …” (more)

[Stephanie Toolis, College Tribune, 4 July]

“… Why is everything around TUSE so opaque? Can government ever just make a direct announcement in favour of Waterford city? Not while politicians from Wexford or Kilkenny are in power? We have been burned often enough to be wary lest the site becomes the grave of Waterford’s final separation from the other cities of Ireland. ‘Announcements’ about its purchase for WIT were recently imminent, but vanished like the snow of a few weeks ago, without trace. Why is everything around TUSE so opaque? …” (more)

[Waterford News and Star, 16 March]

“An application for the Technological University of the South East (TUSE) is set to be formally lodged on April 28th. The proposed merger of Waterford Institute of Technology and IT Carlow is set to have a significant campus in Wexford, according to Senator Malcolm Byrne. The project has been interrupted by COVID-19 as well as significant political tensions in recent weeks regarding the location of its headquarters …” (more)

[Jordan Norris, Munster Express, 16 March]

“The South-East Technological University will come into being on January 1st 2022. That’s according to Wexford Senator Malcolm Byrne, who chaired a meeting this morning to decide the future plans for the university …” (more)

[Beat 102 103, 10 March]

“Brexit poses significant challenges for relationships on these islands. But it also provides an opportunity for Ireland in higher education and research. There has long been close collaboration in this area on these shores. Ireland and the UK share a common quality assurance and peer-review culture and there is extensive co-operation between universities and higher education and research organisation …” (more)

[Malcolm Byrne, Irish Times, 8 December]

“Irish universities could be facing a deficit of up to €200m due to the ongoing pandemic in the event of a ‘worst-case scenario’, higher education representatives have warned. Even taking on board positive forecasts for 2021, universities are still estimated to be facing a combined deficit of at least €102m between this academic year and the last, according to the Irish Universities Association (IUA) …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 3 December]

“Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail): I move: ‘That the Bill be now read a Second Time’. I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House again. As the Cathaoirleach has said, we are becoming friends in the context of debates on electoral reform. I am very happy to present this legislation to the House on Second Stage …” (more)

[Seanad debates, 10 November]

“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]

“There is no other country in the world where the final exam at second level dominates public discourse as much as in Ireland. Newspapers analyse why a certain poet did or did not appear on a particular paper while talk radio can guarantee to get listeners going by mentioning any possible changes …” (more)

[Malcolm Byrne, Irish Times, 23 June]

“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]

“Malcolm Byrne (Wexford, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in the submission of the application from the institutes of technology in counties Carlow and Waterford for designation as a technological university; and the measures he is taking to assist in such a designation …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 17 December]