Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Reforms in the higher education area include academic staff delivering an additional hour per week resulting in more than 100,000 additional lecturing hours which, if they had to be paid for, would amount to an estimated €8 million annually. Since the Croke Park agreement, the student-to-staff ratio in higher education institutions has increased by 18%. The employment control framework has resulted in the reduction of core staff numbers by approximately 9% from 2008 to the end of 2011. In the context of reducing staff numbers, full-time student numbers increased by 17,000, or approximately 12%, between December 2008 and December 2011. In addition, institutions are continually engaging in shared services and procurement initiatives to effect savings. The Higher Education Authority has emphasised the need for all higher education institutions to review the full range of services they provide and their associated cost structures with a view to reducing or eliminating unnecessary or unsustainable costs, particularly in the area of unnecessary programme duplication.

I also draw the Deputy's attention to the recent decision by the Government to amend the Universities Act 1997 to oblige universities to comply with Government pay policy. This legislation will put an end to the era of unauthorised allowances being paid to senior members of staff, which was tolerated by the previous Government.

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