The National University of Ireland is to confer an honorary doctorate on the former taoiseach Brian Cowen at a ceremony in Dublin Castle next week.

Mr Cowen, who retired from politics following the collapse of the Fianna Fáil-Green Party government in early 2011, served as taoiseach from May 2008, a period which coincided with the economic collapse and a period of harsh budgetary austerity in the public finances.