Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for taking this item which concerns the pension entitlements of those in the research sector. I am sure that, like me, he agrees that for our researchers it is essential that there is a very strong and clear career path for them and that as part of that, their pension entitlements are clarified and indeed that they are entitled to pensions. One of the things that we have invested a great deal of time in recently is around enhancing the research capacity of the technological sector.Unfortunately, we still do not have a resolution on the pension entitlements of those researchers working in the technological sector. The Minister of State will be aware of the impact on the former Limerick Institute of Technology, LIT, as part of the new Shannon university, of not getting clarity on the pension issues for research there and the concern that is causing.

If a person is to be employed as a researcher in one of the traditional universities as opposed to the new technological universities, he or she is treated in broadly the same way. The same terms and conditions apply across the board with perhaps one significant exception relating to pension entitlements. The pension entitlements of those in the traditional universities, for the most part, have been clarified. It is clear they are treated as public servants for pensionable purposes. Those in the technological university sector are not. Those in other State agencies, such as the Marine Institute or Teagasc, are treated in the same way as the traditional universities for pensionable purposes.

There is an equity question with respect to researchers. There is also the question of allowing our technological universities in a very competitive market to be able to build their research capacity. They must be able to ensure their research staff are treated in the exactly the same way. I understand, because of some of the historical questions, why this issue has not been resolved until now but this has been on the desk of the current Department and the previous Department, the Department of Education and Skills, for quite a number of years. There have been individual queries and the Technological Higher Education Association, THEA, has raised this on a regular basis. I do not know why it cannot be solved.

Even in situations where those researchers are funded by some of our State agencies, if they receive their funding from Science Foundation Ireland, the Irish Research Council or the Health Research Board, part of the funding or grant allocation includes allowing for pension coverage. This is a question of equity and of allowing higher education institutions to be able to compete on a level playing field in respect of researchers but, most importantly, it is about giving those researchers who have been impacted some level of certainty. THEA has estimated that approximately 450 people are impacted by this. This issue has been doing the rounds for years. I would be grateful if the Minister of State could give us some clarity and certainty with regard to the final decision that will be made on these pension entitlements.