Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

This is about keeping the wording similar to other legislation in the sector. Section 22, which sets out the requirement that technological universities establish procedures for the resolution of disputes, largely mirrors the wording of the relevant provisions of the Universities Act 1997, the Regional Technical Colleges Act 1992 and the Dublin Institute of Technology Act 1992. Amendment No. 9 would remove from that section the standard reference to staff associations, as well as trade unions. I acknowledge members already have had some discussion on this and I have indicated that I will get specific information as to whether there are any staff associations that might have relevance to this legislation. I will revert with that information on Report Stage. The amendment also unnecessarily distinguishes between the dispute resolution procedures which would apply to staff and those which would apply to students.

Amendment No. 10, in providing that the method of publication of those procedures must be jointly agreed with "the parties concerned", goes further than is necessary. Institutes of technology and universities currently make those procedures available both in hard copy and electronically. This also would be the case for technological universities and this is why I do not believe it is necessary to have that.