Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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578. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that management at the Irish Management Institute which is a wholly-owned subsidiary of University College, Cork refuse to engage with a union (details supplied) which represents the majority of IMI staff for the purposes of collective bargaining; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that this position is at odds with the well-established industrial relations norms and conventions at UCC in which a union has worked with management to create a positive and progressive industrial relations environment; if he will encourage the President and the governing body of UCC to respond to correspondence from the union issued to the college authorities and UCC-IMI on 29 September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35349/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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It is of course important for all employers and employee representatives to work to create and maintain a positive and progressive industrial relations environment.

I understand that in this instance the Irish Management Institute (IMI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of University College Cork (UCC) and a private company and its staff are private employees. In that context, any internal industrial relations issues arising between the IMI and its staff are matters for the IMI.

Under the current statutory framework, universities such as UCC are independent and autonomous bodies and on that basis are responsible for the conduct of their own operations including the appropriate management of relationships with subsidiary companies including in relation to industrial relations. However I would of course encourage engagement to take place as appropriate.