Sir, - It was with a mixture of amusement and irritation that I read Senator David Norris's self laudatory letter (July 14th), which, while actually set in the context of an important debate on the future of university seats in the senate was in reality an argument from Senator Norris as to why he should retain his own seat.
One of Senator Norris's proud claims concerned his defence of TCD during the passage of the recent University Bill through the Senate. This is obviously something about which Senator Norris is very sensitive. Indeed, on Saturday July 1st, The Irish Times ran a story noting that Senators Norris and Ross had extracted (by legal threat) apologies from two Trinity students in respect of criticism which these students had made the performance of the sitting senators in defending the autonomy of Trinity, threatened in unprecedented manner by this Bill.
There are many fascinating points which underlie such a story and such a letter, but perhaps the most notable is the fact that for all his self-congratulation, Senator Norris and the other sitting TCD senators are entirely blameworthy in respect of the fact that there is now a Universities Act on the Statute books which threatens the 400-year-old autonomy of TCD. In the Senate on November 30th, 1995, all three University senators voted against a PD/FF motion to reject "any attempt by the Government and the Minister for Education to interfere with the Governance and charter of Trinity College Dublin." This vote was of special significance, in that, at the time, the university senators held the balance of power in the upper house, and thus could have protected Trinity College from the impact of the Universities Bill. Senator Norris has achieved much during his time in the Senate, and no doubt he will continue to remind us of this fact. The defence of the autonomy of TCD, from the concept of government regulation does not, however, fall within this category. For many connected with TCD, what was desired was no University Bill, rather than a watered down Bill. - Yours, etc., NEVILLE COX,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.