Alice-Mary Higgins (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State. I am glad the Government is not opposing this motion and I hope many of the points will be taken up in the coming period. He has indicated that some will be taken up and others may be followed up further. I know those in the Gallery will also be watching that with interest. I will address a few of the points. On the question of there being many different operational needs and reasons for these insecure contracts, I suggest that it is not solely a matter of operational need, but a matter of practices becoming embedded. I query the 12% figure. For example, IFUT found in a recent large-scale survey of lecturers that 36% of respondents considered themselves to be precariously employed and 30.6% of the hourly-paid staff work on an if-and-when basis. Again, that means not knowing one's hours from hour to hour, so it is not being used in exceptional circumstances.

The Minister of State mentioned the many different forms precarity takes. They are becoming embedded and spreading. They are not being used in their original designated narrow function but, rather, are widespread. That is an important and dangerous trend. At a time when we will shortly be looking at the research and innovation Bill, there is an opportunity for the Government to show it understands the importance of proper security. It is not only pay, conditions and security around contracts at all stages of the research ladder and all stages of the teaching ladder.Sadly, one of the areas where we have seen innovation in our universities is in new ways to dilute contracts.