Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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609. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether his Department is aware of any practice in third-level institutions whereby complaints of bullying or harassment are resolved informally by means of non-disclosure agreements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41083/23]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will appreciate, third level institutions are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. As such, individual institutions are responsible for student and staffing matters and are subject to compliance with relevant legislation. My Department does not collect nor have access to information regarding the resolution of bullying or harassment cases across the third-level sector. However, it is my view that non-disclosure agreements should not be used in this manner, and I wrote to all third level institutions last year to confirm this position.