Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Workers and Unemployed Action Group)

It appears, in effect, that the Government is supporting this Private Members' motion, part of which states Dáil Éireann "believes that education and training will be a central part in economic recovery and job creation in the months and years ahead". I am wondering how this sits with statements made by Labour Party Ministers in the past couple of days. The Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, says he cannot categorically guarantee that front-line spending in his Department will be protected. The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Deputy Pat Rabbitte, has been telling us that public service numbers will have to be cut and that others will have to take up the slack. I want to tell him that there is no slack in primary, secondary or third level education. It is an insult to suggest there is to staff who are under enormous pressure in these areas in the general public service as a result of the reductions that have already taken place.

I call on the Minister to deal with the abuse of post-doctoral researchers in Irish universities and the third level education system generally. There are about 3,000 post-doctoral researchers in the universities who are all employed on temporary contracts. They have less security than any unskilled worker in general employment. They are conducting research at the highest levels, nationally and internationally, and making an immense contribution to Irish scholarship and the economy. Typically, such a researcher would have achieved more than 500 points in the leaving certificate examination and have an honours degree and a PhD, having served a minimum of seven years in third level education. With four years spent on training courses, he or she will have accrued 11 years scholarship experience at the highest level. These researchers are being abused. They are not being allowed to obtain full-time permanent employment after four years service. I, therefore, ask the Minister to look at the serious abuse of these post-doctoral researchers.

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