Fintan Warfield (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Deputy Leader here this morning. I want to discuss the issue of precarious employment in higher education and call for a debate on the recent report by the Irish Federation of University Teachers. I begin by thanking the federation for its work in highlighting the issue, in particular its recent report. We have known for a long time how precarious things are for workers in higher education from Oireachtas education committees and audiovisual room briefings. This report is a clear call to action.

One of the most significant causes of concern in the sector is the widespread use of what are essentially zero-hour contracts. According to TheJournal.ie there are 11,200 lecturers working on these short-term, temporary contracts. The Irish Federation of University Teachers report highlights that only 15% of researchers are on a permanent contract. Almost 10% of respondents indicated they did not have a written contract of employment. Significantly, the report highlights as well the high level of unpaid hours worked as part of these contracts. It seems incredible that workers in this sector are being treated like this and that this has been allowed to go on for so long.

Addressing the issues in further education also requires the Government to address the housing crisis. We know the lack of financial security in higher education means that those in the sector often face difficulties in securing accommodation or applying for a mortgage. Many in the sector have also reported homelessness or are living in overcrowded or unsuitable accommodation. The insecurity is heaping real and significant hardship on workers in the higher education sector. This influences their mental health and their life choices such as whether to start a family or to get married. Some are leaving academia - in Ireland or in many instances entirely. I call for a debate on this report by the Irish Federation of University Teachers. We talk about building a knowledge economy so we should address the issues in this report and start by doing so with a debate in this House.