Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We in the Department are in the same place as the Deputy on the evidence of how he has presented the situation. We need to see a step change in research capacity in the TUs if they are to achieve their full mission. That will certainly require professors. It will also require an opportunity for those contract discussions to take place. The Deputy will be aware that I brought the OECD report in respect of what contracts might look like. It was clear and stark, quite frankly, that there is a big body of work to do because Ireland's current contract structure is not comparable to the position in other TUs or their equivalents in other OECD countries. I want to be clear to anybody listening who is working in a technological university that any changes will be matters for negotiation. People sometimes say that we are having all these conversations but have not sat down and talked to them. We are trying to make sure we are in a position to have a meaningful conversation. We are working with the TUs to make the case to the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform and others for the need for this change. My officials met with representatives of the technological universities last week and I will do so tomorrow morning. We will tease this through. If we get to a contract place, it will be an opportunity for people to opt in to new contracts rather than people losing their current terms and conditions. There is an interesting and important conversation to be had in that respect. We want to be able to have a meaningful conversation and that is why we have been trying to get our own ducks lined up with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform before we formally enter those conversations.