A local TD has urged Minister Simon Harris to address precarious working conditions for PhD researchers and early academics in third level institutions.
Galway West TD Mairéad Farrell said that there is a huge problem in the sector with what are ‘essentially zero-hour contracts’.
Deputy Farrell said that talk about this state building a knowledge economy has not matched the reality on the ground.
She said that nowhere is this clearer than in the treatment of PhD researchers and early career academics.
This week in Leinster House, TDs heard about the shocking levels of precariousness faced by many in the sector.
They heard that one Teaching Fellow in Trinity College Dublin became homeless for a time because he had no income during the summer months.
“There is a huge problem in the sector with what are essentially zero hour contracts,” said the Sinn Féin TD.
“According to the Journal.ie there were 11,200 lecturers working these short-term temporary contracts.”
“It seems incredible in this day and age that we are still allowing these types of contracts.
“We know the negative impact they have on financial security with impacts on the ability to get a 12-month lease or applying for a mortgage.
“We know they impact social insurance contributions and often you cannot get sick leave or maternity leave.”
Deputy Farrell added that we know from a health perspective they can induce anxiety and mental health issues.
“But the good news is that we have the Future of Funding report which was produce last July,” she said.
“It was signed off by a joint Oireachtas committee made up of all parties. So there’s a clear consensus here, but we cannot allow this to become something akin to Slaintecare where everybody signs up and then little progress is made.
“The time has come for action. This state won’t be able to build a knowledge economy off the back of precarious labour.”
