HEA appointment: In a move which represents a significant U-turn by the Government, outgoing secretary general of the Department of Health and Children Michael Kelly has been appointed as full-time chairman of the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
Mr Kelly is to leave his post in the department following the publication of the Travers report.
Last month, the Department of Education said the post of HEA chairman would be filled only on a part-time basis, after the retirement of Don Thornhill.
The recent OECD review of third-level education in the Republic recommended that the post of HEA chairman should be made only after an extensive public recruitment campaign conducted internationally. Mr Kelly, however, was simply nominated by the Government for the HEA post once it became clear he was leaving his post.
Mr Kelly will take on the role of full-time HEA chairman for the next two years. He will take up the post once his successor is named.
Mr Kelly comes to the HEA at a critical period. The OECD report identified an urgent need for a quantum leap in third-level funding to allow Irish colleges to compete internationally.
However, there is no indication from the Government that it intends to provide vastly improved funding. It has also ruled out the return of third-level fees, leaving many colleges coping with a financial crisis.
Mr Kelly will work closely with HEA chief executive Tom Boland.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin welcomed the appointment. In recent weeks Ms Hanafin has been liaising with the third-level sector about the OECD report.
One of Mr Kelly's first tasks will be to oversee the abolition of the HEA in its current form and its replacement by a new Tertiary Education Authority, as proposed by the OECD.
This will take charge of both the university and the institute of technology sector.
Mr Kelly (49) was appointed secretary general of the Department of Health and Children in January 2000.
