Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 80 provides that in preparing a strategic development plan under section 61, designated higher education institutions must consult with trade union representatives of both academic and professional staff. It goes without saying that union representatives are important in the conversation on boards. As for the potential for them not to be represented on boards due to the way boards are structured, we must find other ways in the legislation to make sure that they are an integral part of the process within a university and the strategic development plan is one such area.

Amendment No. 86 seeks to insert a new paragraph into subsection (5) to provide for an equality statement of a designated institution of higher education, to which this section applies. The new paragraph shall specify the policy of the institution regarding the protection of the mental health and well-being of its students and staff, and the supports in place within the institution to promote positive mental health and well-being.

Last month, the ESRI launched a report entitled, Disrupted transitions? Young adults and the COVID-19 pandemic, from which we know that poorer mental health during the pandemic reflected disruption to the employment, education and day-to-day activities of young adults. Also, before the pandemic hit, 63% of these 22-year-olds were in full-time education or training and so shifted to remote learning.

According to the report, the vast majority reported having the electronic devices they needed for remote learning and were enrolled in institutions that offered live online lectures or classes. However, half of them did not have access to adequate broadband and a quiet place to study and only 30% received regular feedback on their work. Over half, or 57%, found it difficult to study while learning remotely and this was linked to a greater risk of depression. In contrast, the people who had more interaction with their institution, and the resources they needed to study, fared better. The ESRI also found that over half of the women who were 22 at the time were over the threshold that defines depression, while from 2018 to 2020, the number of young men who were deemed to be depressed increased from 22% to 40%.

Amendment No. 87 seeks to insert a new paragraph into section 66(2)(5) provides that an equality statement of a designated institution of higher education, to which this section applies, shall specify the policy of the instituting relating to the ending of academic precarity. Precarious employment in Irish colleges leaves many academic staff unable to secure bank loans, afford healthcare, find accommodation, start families or get above the poverty line, according to the Irish Precarity Network.

A group of academics, researchers and educators have warned that precarious employment has had, and is having, a devastating impact on the Irish education sector, as well as those who work on temporary contracts that range between three and 12 months. There is also a large and growing number of people who work on an hourly basis and are paid a flat fee per class. In respect of PhD students taking the Irish Research Council's stipend of €16,000, for example, this equates to just over €1,300 per month or €300 per week. If PhD researchers work a 40-hour week then that means they receive €7.70 per hour at a time when the current minimum wage is €10.10 per hour and the living wage is €12.90. However, the latter figures are normally not used in the context of PhD students as they are not classed as workers in Ireland.