The Technological Universities Bill (2015) will combine the strength of the institutes of technology across the country, in order to develop top class technological universities.
The Bill completed the report and final stages in the Dáil in December.
Organiser Lisa Connell said Fórsa has secured the terms and working conditions of members working in the sector, as well as ensuring that their roles in the technological universities are protected within the revised structures.
Lisa said commitments had also been secured on:
- Provision of continuous professional development training for staff represented by Fórsa
- Reassignment and transfer of existing staff, who will not be re-assigned to one of the other constituent institutes of technology unless procedures are agreed
- Protection of the regional mission of the institutes of technology
- A national negotiation forum for staff represented by Fórsa and other unions.
Lisa explained: “The union continues to meet regularly with the Department of Education on issues of importance to our members in the institutes of technology. As the merging of institutes into technological universities marks a significant change, we’ve secured a number of key conditions for our members.”
The Department of Education has written to Fórsa confirming the protections won on conditions of service and superannuation and collective agreements.
Milestone
Higher education minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor has described the legislation as “a very significant milestone in the evolution of the higher education sector, and the institutes of technology sector in particular.” The minister welcomed the approval of amendments to the Technological Universities Bill last November, allowing the legislation to proceed through the Houses of the Oireachtas.
The amendments were developed following a consultation process in 2017. Stakeholders included Fórsa, the TUI, the Union of Students in Ireland and the Technological Higher Education Association.
The amendments relate to terms and conditions of service for staff, strengthening the regional remit of a technological university, membership of governing bodies and amendments to the application process for technological university designation.
There are currently four consortia engaged with the process to become designated as technological universities. These are:
- TU4Dublin (Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown)
- Technological University for the South-East (TUSE – consisting of Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow)
- Munster Technological University (MTU – consisting of Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee)
- Connaught Ulster Alliance (CUA – consisting of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo and Letterkenny Institute of Technology).
