“Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress his Department has made in respect of the implementation of the Cush report regarding part-time and fixed-term employment in third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 1 May]
“The use of temporary contracts in Irish universities should be discouraged, the Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, has said in an interview with The University Times. In recent years, universities have started to explore and expand the use of temporary contracts for academic staff. But the government, Mitchell O’Connor said, ‘certainly don’t want them increasing them’ …” (more)
[Dominic McGrath, University Times, 14 December]
“The Labour Court this week ordered the re-employment of a researcher made redundant by Maynooth University in April 2016. The ruling resulted from a case taken by the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) under Fixed-Term Workers legislation. In its Determination (No FID175), the Labour Court ruled that under the protection of Employment (Fixed-term) Act of 2003 ‘the contract by operation of law became a contract of indefinite duration’ under section 9(4) of the Act …” (more)
[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 8 November]
“Trinity’s trade unions are expecting a decision this week on College’s reaction to the government’s advice on fixed-term contracts, which this summer called on Irish universities to end the improper use of such contracts. In early October, the three major unions in Trinity met with the new Human Resources Director, Antoinette Quinn, to discuss Trinity’s implementations of the government recommendations …” (more)
[Aaron Finnegan, University Times, 31 October]
“Concern is growing about exploitative employment practices at Irish third-level colleges, and the impact on learning. Here, three academics share their stories …” (more)
[Peter McGuire, Irish Times, 12 May]
“Unions at NUIG are reporting discontent over the treatment of researchers on temporary contracts and the university’s handling of a change in management of its creche. NUIG has confirmed that 239 people are employed on contracts of indefinite duration …” (more)
[Lorna Siggins, Irish Times, 5 May]
“Teachers working part-time or on fixed-term contracts will have more job security under recommendations made by an expert group today, Minister for Education Jan O’Sullivan has said …” (more)
[Elaine Edwards, Irish Times, 17 September]
“Provisional results from a survey carried out by the newly formed Third Level Workplace Watch indicate that third-level institutions are to the very forefront of the shift towards precarious employment in Ireland today …” (more)
[Micheal Flynn, Irish Left Review, 27 February]
“In last month’s reported employment appeals tribunal cases, the tribunal was asked to consider in Patrick Fournet v NUI Galway UD 1262/2011 MN 1367/2011 whether the claimant had been unfairly dismissed from his post when funding ceased for his role …” (more)
[Wendy Doyle Solicitors Blog, 11 September]
“Ireland’s brightest researchers will have to emigrate because of the lure of higher redundancy if they agree not to work in the public service for another two years, a union claims …” (more)
[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 5 September]
“A measure introduced by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform could force thousands of young researchers to emigrate. This will damage the Government’s efforts to build a knowledge economy here, representative bodies for researchers claimed yesterday …” (more)
[Dick Ahlstrom, Irish Times, 30 August]
“… Contrast the recent decision of the Labour Court, where despite it being clear that certain appointments in TCD were contingent upon the continued availability of external funding which had now ceased, the Labour Court nonetheless made a ruling which rendered mutually agreed termination provisions ineffective because of the Croke Park Agreement’s outlawing ‘compulsory redundancy’ …” (more)
[Irish Times, 18 June]
“FACTS: University College, Cork (the ‘appellant’) has brought this appeal pursuant to s. 15(6) of the Protection of Employees (Fixed-Term Work) Act 2003 (the ‘Act’) against Determination FTC/10/42 of the Labour Court made on 20th July 2011 …” (more)
[University College Cork v. Bushin [2012] IEHC 76]
“University College Cork has lost its legal challenge to a Labour Court order requiring it to pay a former full-time researcher, who was employed on a fixed term contract, an ex gratia redundancy payment in addition to her statutory redundancy entitlement …” (more)
[Mary Carolan, Irish Times, 18 February]
“University College Cork has lost its legal challenge to a Labour Court order, requiring it to pay a former full-time researcher on a fixed-term contract, an ex gratia redundancy payment in addition to her statutory redundancy entitlement …” (more)
[Ann O’Loughlin, Irish Examiner, 18 February]
“The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has warmly welcomed a High Court decision regarding redundancy payments for fixed-term workers in universities. In the High Court on 17 February, Mr Justice Kearns rejected an appeal by University College Cork (UCC) against an earlier Labour Court Determination …” (more)
[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 17 February]
“The High Court has rejected an appeal from University College Court over the terms of a lecturer’s redundancy package. The lecturer, who had come to the end of her fixed-term contract, has been awarded six weeks’ pay for every year of employment at the university by the Labour Court …” (more)
[Business Post, 17 February]
“University College Cork has lost an appeal to the High Court in a case dealing how staff on fixed-term contracts are treated. In a ruling issued this morning, the High Court upheld a Labour Court decision to direct the college to make an ex-gratia payment to a fixed-term worker who had been made redundant …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 17 February]
“A third of Ireland’s science postgraduates may end up having to pursue their research careers abroad unless changes can be achieved in their terms of employment. Their departure would represent a wasteful loss and could also undermine efforts to achieve a knowledge economy here …” (more)
[Dick Ahlstrom, Irish Times, 14 April]
“In Irish universities, amongst the expected students, lecturers and support staff, lurks a less-known beast: the researchers. Typically holding a PhD, researchers, also called ‘postdocs’, are the only staff category devoted only to research. And they are also the only staff category confined to fixed term contracts (which, incidentally, is very telling about our country’s view of the smart economy!) …” (more)
[Stupid Economy, 7 April]
