THE Minister for Education has been accused of making a "humiliating climbdown" on the University Bill, despite her promises of "very generous amendments" to the Bill.
Speaking yesterday at a "topping out" ceremony for a major new building development in Trinity College Dublin, Ms Breathnach said she expected to be in a position to introduce a number of amendments to the Bill at the committee stage. Among them are likely to be changes in the level of financial reporting required of the universities.
Mr Micheal Martin, the Fianna Fail spokesman on education, accused the Minister of a climbdown on her original legislation. He said it was "an appalling state of affairs" that the Bill was still at its second stage and accused her of an "appalling disregard" for the Dail by engaging in "frenzied" consultations on the Bill with university heads.
Ms Helen Keogh, the Progressive Democrats spokeswoman on education, said the Bill was very badly flawed" and that the Minister should start all over again.
The University Bill is due to complete its second stage next week and will pass to the committee stage the following week. Ms Breathnach said that, since the publication of the Bill, she and her officials had engaged in discussions with interested parties and that "a number of amendments" would be introduced to address some of the concerns expressed.
While details of the amendments are still being finalised, the most contentious area for a number of universities remains the constraints which the Bill places on the universities' autonomy in budgetary matters.
The amendments are likely to address this by reducing the amount of financial detail required from universities as the Department seeks a compromise between autonomy and public accountability.
The Provost of Trinity College, Dr Thomas Mitchell, said he found the Minister's comments "encouraging".
Up to 1,000 more student places will be created in TCD as a result of the £45 million development of the university's "East End", to which the State has contributed £21 million. The 38,000 sq m development includes a new dental hospital.