David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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I have a related issue on the HEA which is not on correspondence but is one which I have raised before. This is the HEA report on Waterford Institute of Technology. I received correspondence personally from the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, and I was in contact with some of the officials of that trade union. A number of current staff members met the author of the report, and while I do not know whether what they said would be considered protected disclosures, they feel vulnerable in the sense that drafts of the report have been given to individuals within the institute of technology. It might be easy for individuals and management to discover who exactly said what to the author of the report. Given that there is a delay in the publication of the report, they feel a bit let down as well as apprehensive and nervous at having been left hanging. It would be appropriate for the committee to write to the HEA outlining that. I asked the TUI to write directly to this committee and, if it has not done so, that is a matter for it. It has written directly to me, however, and I can send on a copy of the letter.