Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The report of the chair of the expert group on fixed term and part-time issues in lecturing in Ireland was published in May 2016 and contains a number of recommendations which will assist in addressing concerns raised about the level of part-time and fixed-term employment in lecturing in the third level sector. My Department issued directions to the sector on 4 July 2016 to implement the recommendations contained in the report in accordance with the terms of the Lansdowne Road agreement and my understanding is that the institutions are taking steps to do so.

The recommendations can be summarised as follows: a reduction in the qualifying period for a contract of indefinite duration from three years to two years; this reduction is to be reviewed when it has been in operation for five years; where additional hours are awarded to an existing holder of a contract of indefinite duration, the qualification period for a further such contract in respect of those additional hours should be one year; extra available lecturing hours should be offered to existing qualified part-time lecturers within the institution before being advertised externally; the employer and management representatives in the sector should have discussions with a view to implementing a feasible redeployment scheme; the adjudication system for dispute resolution in regard to the awarding of contracts of indefinite duration which already existed in institutes of technology should be extended to the universities; and, finally, employers now have the flexibility to recruit staff to non-Exchequer funded posts on a fixed term or permanent basis.

If a union representing lecturing grades believes that a university is not implementing the recommendations contained within the report of the chair of the expert group, that union can seek to have the matter addressed using the dispute resolution procedures provided for in the public service agreement.

The above-mentioned report is specific to concerns raised about part-time and fixed-term employment in lecturing and its recommendations are not applicable to non-lecturing grades. My Department is not aware of any issues regarding non-lecturing grades.

In line with the Universities Act 1997, third level institutions have autonomy in regard to human resource policies, subject to compliance with Government policy in respect of employment numbers and pay policy. Employers in the higher education sector are also required to operate in accordance with the provisions of national industrial relations agreements.

My Department is not aware of any instance of a third level institution not operating in accordance with good practice in respect of work and contract conditions or not operating in accordance with the provisions of national industrial relations agreements.

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