Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for her question. As she will be aware, and as set out in my previous responses on this matter, officials from my Department engage on an ongoing basis with their counterparts in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science on multiple policy issues, which include the consideration of principles for a higher education staffing agreement. The purpose of such an agreement, once finalised, will be to update the existing employment control framework approach that has been in place since 2011 and still is in place in a number of sectors in the public service.

The employment control framework for the higher education sector is updated on an annual basis, having regard to the funding decisions made as part of the annual Estimates process, and is then put into operation by the Higher Education Authority, HEA, across all higher education institutions. Overall staffing in the sector, both core and non-core, has increased by approximately 4,500, or 18%, since 2016. While the operation and management of the existing employment control framework approach is a matter for the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the HEA and the individual higher education institutions, a key issue from my Department's perspective is to ensure it appropriately reflects fiscal, expenditure and public service staffing and pay policies. Regarding the overarching principles for a new approach, my Department is seeking to ensure staffing decisions taken in the higher education sector are affordable and sustainable both from a higher education perspective and from an Exchequer and wider public service staffing and pensions perspective.

My Department is also mindful of the need to ensure that there is appropriate flexibility built in to any revised approach so that higher education institutions can operate efficiently in making their staffing decisions, having regard to their overall expenditure allocations and other appropriate controls.

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