THE Fianna Fail leader, Mr Bertie Ahern, delivered a strong attack on the Universities Bill.

While pretending to give the universities structures and potential to face new challenges "this Bill will instead restrict, confine and constrain their freedom", he said. "This Bill represents an unacceptable onslaught on academic freedom which is precious in any free society."

The great universities around the world were not run by bureaucrats from education departments or higher education authorities. "Universities thrive on freedom. Many of them are attracting large scale private funds. I do not see the need for tighter State interference or control, which seems to come from the Labour Party's love of bureaucracy and perhaps a desire to increase its political patronage."

Mr Ahern said it was ironic that the Minister for Education wanted "to hogtie the decision makers of our universities by giving the Higher Education Authority a much more intrusive role in their planning processes".

The universities already had evolved structures to deal constructively with every aspect of their responsibilities. The Minister's aim should be to co ordinate their work and assist them in finding their own way forward.

Ms Frances Fitzgerald (FG, Dublin South East) said it was critical not to damage the essential academic freedom of the universities. "We must get the balance right, supporting universities' discretion in managing their affairs while at the same time demanding accountability, development within the context of national educational needs and potential and effective use of resources."

She urged the Minister to address the concerns expressed about the Bill by the Nation University of Ireland Trinity College, Dublin and the Irish Federation of University Teachers.

Ms Kathleen Lynch (DL, Cork North Central) said a Universities, Bill was needed to put the University of Limerick and Dublin City University on a similar statutory footing as the longer established colleges. A high proportion of university funding came from the State, and the public interest must be protected.

"The chorus against the Bill has come in the main from a rather narrow stratum of opinion even within the university sector. It may well be that the leadership of the universities do not subscribe to all that has been written on, their behalf, but I have not heard any of them disowning it. Maybe it is time that they did."