Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Deputy Connolly for her two very specific questions. With regard to the UL issue, I will honestly have to come back to the Deputy to see whether the HEA has now been made aware, and I thank the Deputy for the reminder on it because I want to know. My logic in my letter to the Deputy in December was that once the HEA had become aware, there was then a route from me to become aware because it is an agency of mine. I will seek an update, and I say this on the record of the House, from the authority as to whether it has been made aware of it and I will revert to the Deputy directly on the matter. I will be very eager to know the position.

The broader point, and I do want to say this, is about governance. There is a reason I need to bring forward governance legislation. There is a reason I am bringing it to Cabinet in April. There is a reason I want to pass it through both Houses this year. I am not satisfied that I have to keep giving Deputy Connolly these answers. Universities are autonomous, and I get that, but the governance structures have to be better. The HEA has to have the power to go in and get answers. The HEA has to have statutory powers on governance and performance frameworks. Quite frankly, it does not have some of these powers now. When I bring forward the legislation I really will need the help of Deputies to get the best piece of legislation we can in order to have robust modern fit for purpose governance structures in terms of the composition of governing authorities, their size, the power of the HEA, my role as Minister and the role of the Department. I am working actively on this and it will be our major piece of legislation this year.

On the issue of precarious employment, I am not happy about it either to be honest. I can give the Deputy the whole answer about autonomy, and they are autonomous, but aside from this there is a role for the Department in terms of bringing together all of the funders. They are autonomous but they are funded through the HEA, Science Foundation Ireland and the Irish Research Council. I am setting up an advisory group in the Department to look at a number of these issues around precarious employment, career pathways and supports for researchers. I will be happy to put some of my thoughts in writing to the Deputy on this matter.

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