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Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has said there cannot be a repeat of a sexual harassment case like academic Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain\u2019s if universities are to receive increased funding.<\/p>\nHigher Education Minister Simon Harris has said there cannot be a repeat of a sexual harassment case like academic Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain\u2019s if universities are to receive increased funding.<\/p>\n
Mr Harris said Irish institutions needed to do more to tackle sexual harassment.<\/p>\n
Earlier this year, lecturer and broadcaster Dr Ni Shuilleabhain detailed her experience of enduring two years of repeated sexual harassment by a former colleague at UCD.<\/p>\n
Mr Harris said: \u201cIf I, as the current minister on behalf of the people of this country, am going to invest more in higher education I don\u2019t ever want to ever want to, ever, ever, ever, hear a story like Aoibhinn Ni Shuilleabhain\u2019s again in an Irish institution.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are not where we need to be in terms of tackling sexual harassment, gender-based violence, promoting consent.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we are to invest more I need universities to understand [that]. In fairness, as I think they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Dr Ni Shuilleabhain said in September she was speaking publicly about the harassment because she did not want any other student or staff member to endure the same ordeal and that she wanted to begin a conversation that helps address the issue on university campuses across Ireland.<\/p>\n
Last month, Mr Harris announced that higher education institutions would be required to report cases of sexual harassment and bullying of staff and students annually as part of a \u201czero-tolerance\u201d initiative to creating safe third level colleges.<\/p>\n
Mr Harris has also tasked universities and colleges with creating action plans aimed at tackling sexual violence and harassment within their institutions.<\/p>\n
The minister said that the governance of universities needed to be improved: \u201cUniversities are autonomous. I believe and regard their autonomy for really good educational reasons and research reasons but autonomy in terms of education can never be used as a fig leaf to cover up the importance of accountability, transparency.\u201d<\/p>\n