Archive for the 'Funding' Category

TUI and IFUT dismiss ESRI research as ‘patently flawed’

Friday, October 9th, 2009

In a joint statement today, the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) and Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) rejected as ‘misleading’ and ‘flawed’ the findings of an ESRI survey on a pay differential between public and private higher education staff.
The latest ESRI figures on a public and private pay differential between higher education staff are [...]

Four teacher unions prepare for challenges ahead

Tuesday, September 8th, 2009

The Presidents and General Secretaries of the four teacher unions (ASTI, IFUT, INTO and TUI) met today (8 September 2009) to prepare a strategy against further attacks on the education system in the coming months.
All four unions are gravely concerned that cutbacks already in place are having a detrimental effect on the education system. Staffing [...]

Proposed Reintroduction of Higher Education Fees

Friday, September 4th, 2009

In a letter to the editor of The Irish Times and published on 4 September 2009, IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, writes:
“We impose financial charges (for example for refuse collection, water supply, etc) as an instrument to discourage usage. Yet we are expected to suspend our disbelief when the Minister for Education says that re-imposing [...]

IFUT proposes unprecedented joint management-union response to education cuts

Sunday, July 19th, 2009

The General Secretary of IFUT, Mike Jennings, has called on university managements to work with IFUT and other employee representative bodies in the sector to present a strong and comprehensive response and resistance to the cuts proposed in last week’s McCarthy/An Bord Snip Nua Report.
“In view of the crisis now facing our sector, I am [...]

IFUT reponse to “An Bord Snip Nua” report

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

IFUT has issued a Press Release in initial response to the report by “An Bord Snip Nua”.
“This report, and, in particular, the parts of it which relate to education, will come to be regarded as one of the most short-sighted documents in Irish education history. At a time when more and more people are turning [...]

“An Bord Snip Nua” Report released

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

The Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan, has today (16 July 2009) released the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes.  The Group, popularly known as An Bord Snip Nua, which has sat for the last six months, was chaired by UCD Economist, Colm McCarthy.
The Press Statement announcing the release of [...]

Publication of HEA Employment Control Framework

Tuesday, July 7th, 2009

The HEA has published the Employment Control Framework for the Higher Education Sector.
This Framework was promised in the letter of 1 April from the HEA to the President/Provost of each of the seven Universities. This letter was sent in response to a letter from the Department of Finance to the Department of Education and Science [...]

University teachers respond to Fine Gael’s university fees proposal

Wednesday, March 18th, 2009

The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) welcomes the efforts by Fine Gael to find a means of dealing with the chronic underfunding of our higher education system without doing the serious damage to participation rates which the reintroduction of undergraduate fees would inevitably cause.
“Whilst Fine Gael’s proposals would require some further discussion and fine [...]

IFUT General Secretary addresses USI protest rally against fees

Wednesday, February 4th, 2009

“Speaking as a representative of the generation that benefited from the decision of Donagh O’Malley to introduce free second-level education, I can testify to the very real difference that not having to pay fees makes to individuals and society alike,” Mike Jennings, General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), said, addressing a [...]

Budget 2008 displays ‘total lack of understanding’ of role of education, says IFUT

Tuesday, October 14th, 2008

IFUT has expressed dismay at the range and extent of cutbacks affecting education in Budget 2008.
The Minister for Education, Mr Batt O’Keefe, TD, has displayed a lack of understanding and failed to impress on the Minister for Finance the importance of adequately funding education to promote economic and social development, IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings [...]