Ninth Level Ireland

“Members will be aware of the ‘Report to the Minister for Education and Skills of the Chairperson of the Expert group on Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employment in Lecturing in Third Level Education in Ireland’, aka the ‘Cush’ Report. This Report was published in June of 2016 with its recommendations accepted as policy by the Department of Education and Skills in July of 2016 …” (more)

[IFUT, 28 May]

“In a week dominated by stupid things being said by British politicians, one of the stupidest of all was the claim by Labour MP Caroline Flint that the European Union is to blame for the rise of zero-hours contracts. Caroline Flint is a Brexit supporter, of course, so she will not be interested in facts …” (more)

[In the Dark, 20 October]

“IFUT has agreed on a protocol with the IUA on the implementation of the Report of the Expert Group on Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employment in Lecturing (the Cush Report) …” (more)

[IFUT, 2 September]

“Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of university teaching staff employed on a casual basis …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 19 June]

“New arrangements have been today (Thurs May 10th) formally agreed between the Irish University Association and the university based trade unions to address long-standing staffing issues dealt with in the 2016 Cush Report. General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), Joan Donegan, welcomed the ‘significant progress related to employment contracts and terms and conditions for hundreds of university lecturers employed on temporary contracts and occasional hours’ …” (more)

[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 10 May]

“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]

“Sir, – We disagree with Jim Miley, director general of the Irish Universities Association, that allowing universities to pay salaries of up to €337,000 to high profile academics will ‘provide the best value for money for the State’s investment in talent’ (‘Universities get green light for salaries over €335,000’, News, March 12th) …” (more)

[Ulf Strohmayer and 10 others, Irish Times, 19 March]

“It’s the end of September! As usual, the days grow shorter, the kids go back to school, Mayo lose the All-Ireland … and thousands of researchers and casually employed lecturing staff face another year of precarious employment and working conditions. The quest for fair play for researchers and part-time university staff is now almost as long as that of Mayo for Sam …” (more)

[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 28 September]

“Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour): 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 in particular her Department’s request in June 2017 that third level institutions establish an adjudication system to hear disputes arising from the implementation of the Cush Report; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 11 September]

“Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if all the recommendations of the Cush report in respect of fixed-term workers in third level colleges have been accepted and implemented by him; and if not, the specific recommendations that remain outstanding …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 8 March]

“Louise O’Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the rate of progress in the seven universities of the implementation of the Cush report; the reason there are delays in the operation of the report in the universities; if parity of esteem for other workers employed in universities with two years service will be established; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 8 February]

“Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will implement the recommendations of the Cush report; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 21 June]

[For the Cush Report on precarious employment in 3rd level see here.]

“The Union of Students in Ireland has said the number of lecturers on zero-hour contracts is unacceptable and is calling on both third level institutions and the government to address precarious work practices in higher education …” (more)

[Union of Students in Ireland, 17 May]

“A Government-commissioned report has acknowledged the reliance of some colleges and universities on precarious and zero-hour contracts for employing lecturing staff. The report of an expert group on fixed-term part-time employment in lecturing at third level shows that up to two-thirds of lecturing staff in some higher education institutions are not full-time or permanent …” (more)

[The Cush Report is here]
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 17 May]

“The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has welcomed publication of the Expert group on Fixed term and Part time employment in lecturing in Third Level in Ireland (Cush Report), but highlighted that it does not address the issue of research and researchers, where a substantial portion of precarious employment is located …” (more)

[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 13 May]

“The Minister for Education and Skills welcomes the Report of the Chairperson of the Expert Group, Mr Michael Cush SC, on Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employment in Lecturing in Third Level Education in Ireland. The recommendations contained in the report will assist in addressing concerns raised about precarious employment by Union representatives …” (more, download)

[Department of Education and Skills, 12 May]