Comment: University teachers’ precarious employment is unsustainable

Not only does the normalisation of precarious jobs keep staff poor, it threatens the reputation of third-level education in Ireland

There is a limited place for part-time teaching in universities, but Irish universities have normalised low pay and precarious contracts. Picture: iStock 

Every budget and election cycle, media and political attention focuses on making our higher education institutions (HEIs) ‘world-class’. Most election manifestos commit to reducing student fees, lowering the cost of student accommodation, and expanding the number of university places.

You’d think this translates to direct funding increases. The reality is that with inflation and increased student numbers, the current level of State funding is wholly inadequate, as highlighted by the OECD report this February. This has consequences for university education, undermining the promises of election manifestos.