Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I fully agree with the Cathaoirleach and Deputy Ó Cathasaigh on this. We need to get to a point where we can have professors appointed in our TUs and offer academic contracts that are fit for purpose and reflective of the mission of the technological university. We brought the OECD report to Cabinet in December and published it then. It outlines where Ireland is at and gives suggestions as to where it believes Ireland needs to be. It also outlines international comparators which are very useful. We are now working to develop the case for the advancement of that with the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform.

We have had very good engagement with the technological universities. My officials are in close contact with them and I will be meeting their representatives in the morning. We are trying to arrive at a point where we have a contract that will allow more time for research and working with industry because we are trying to deliver on the technological universities' mission. This mission is not vague; it is set out in legislation. Once we have the case built up with the Department, we will engage with representative bodies on the issue. The model will be that new staff join on the new contract, once that is in place. I reiterate that anybody who is on an existing contract will have an option to opt in or not. There will be a contract for the future for technological universities. People can then opt in if they already have a contract and new people will start on that contract.