asked the Minister for Education whether the Government exercise any function in relation to the method of selection or the criteria for appointment of the Maynooth College president whose salary and expenses are paid from public funds; and in what way the Government ensure accountability for expenditure in this area.

The answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I do not exercise any function. The secular education grant to Maynooth College is provided for in the Vote for Higher Education by way of a grant-in-aid to An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas. Under paragraph 20 of the Schedule of the Higher Education Authority Act, 1971, the accounts of receipts and expenditure of An t-Údarás um Ard-Oideachas are audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General and the audited accounts together with the Report of the Comptroller and Auditor General are laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

Is the Minister happy with the position as outlined in his reply which states in effect that a major educational position paid from public funds need not necessarily relate in any way to academic criteria or to what might be called the popular will of staff and students in a college or an institution?

I am not sure what the Deputy is referring to. All I know is that there is a grant-in-aid listed in the Book of Estimates, with informative footnotes saying "for secular education" in the case of Maynooth College and of Trinity College, Dublin.

The Minister said that the answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. That refers to the Minister and the Government expressing an interest in the method of selection and the criteria for appointment. I assume the Minister in his answer said that he does not have a function with regard to the method of appointment.

That is true. I have no function in relation to the appointment of the provost for Trinity, or the president of UCD or UCG.

This is a substantial sum. I was wondering about the educational wisdom of that. Is the Minister happy about that?

The educational wisdom of what?

Of the appointment of people who need not necessarily be academically qualified. I am not talking about this individual case but as a general principle. Would the Minister stand over that?

As far as I am concerned I have no power to stop any of the university colleges from appointing anybody.

The Minister is quite happy about it?

Would the Minister agree that the Government appoint the provost of Trinity College, Dublin?

It is technicality, as the Deputy knows.

We are getting away from the original question.

In relation to the Minister's reply to the first part of the question relating to the appointment of the president of a particular university college, does the Minister expect a change to be made in the procedures in the new universities Bill?

One thing I would be very chary about is interfering in the universities to that extent. They are very jealous of their independence. I agree that they depend to a great extent on public funds, but there are certain realms where Government intervention would not be welcome.

Would the Minister not agree that the governing structures of the new universities should allow for a method of election of presidents which would satisfy the staff and students?

It would be naïve to believe that anybody could be elected to any office in academia in a manner that would satisfy everybody. When the legislation comes before the House the Deputy will have an opportunity to make his contribution.