Academic freedom is a touchstone of a democratic society
“Academic freedom is not perhaps a common topic of national debate, but over the past year or so there has been an unusual amount of public interest in what it means …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, Irish Times, 8 February]
Ninth Level Ireland 
10 February 2011 at 1:26 am
This is remarkable gall
Lest we forget, Ferdie is the guy who tried – and failed – to introduce a new kind of summary dismissal into academia. The fact that his illegal 2001 statute (still on the web) destroyed academic freedom was noted both by Judges Clarke (at the High court) and Denham (supreme court). Here is the statute that both declared illegal;
http://www.dcu.ie/info/statutes/statute3.shtml
There has been since 1990 the capacity summarily to dismiss without fear of a retaliatory strike; with co-operation from SIPTU, Ferdie has also used this, as I can attest
Given that the Irish Times has had to publish two retractions, one apology, and is being sued on this issue, maybe it’s not the most trustworthy venue