Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I agree with this point. As well as being institutions of learning and huge economic drivers, institutions in the third level sector are major employers with tens of thousands of workers. There are several unions that would be a regular part of engagement with higher education institutions, such as the Teachers’ Union of Ireland, TUI, the Irish Federation of University Teachers, SIPTU and Fórsa, and there are probably several more as well. This is vital. Typically, with some exceptions, these institutions are engaging in general terms with these unions but that needs to continue and it needs to be preserved. I believe they should have an equal place with the other stakeholders in that regard.