http___www.universitytimes.ie_2018_04_is-tuar-e-an-ghniomhaiocht-in-institiuidi-teicneolaiochta-do-chutach-leis-an-easpa-maoinithe__1.xml
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Striking lecturers and angry students are nothing new. In recent years, the Department of Education has become used to picket lines and placards, while doing little to meet the chorus of demands from the third-level sector. So the news that staff in institutes of technology around the country will refuse to work an additional hour negotiated under recent national pay agreements will probably do little to faze the government. But it should. Recent weeks have seen spurts of anger across campuses. We had Take Back Trinity, fuelled in part by years of frustration at commercialisation and cuts, while in Dublin City University, patience is running out among students and senior management at the profiteering of the private accommodation sector. None of their demands are radical. The lecturers in institutes of technology simply want a more sustainable workload, while students are demanding only an affordable education – hardly requests that will shake the foundation of the state. Yet inaction and incompetence from the government have taken a toll on an already depleted morale. The government might point to the passage of the Technological Universities Bill as a legislative victory, but that hasn’t translated into goodwill or gratitude from the sector. Instead, we can expect this kind of industrial action to become more common. Recent months in the UK have given us an indication of what an unhappy workforce looks like: lecturers walking out, classes cancelled and a pitched battle between staff and management that’s only been ended by an uneasy truce. The public has been sold a vision of Irish higher education in recent years. It’s prestigious, international and vital for investment. We’ll be the best education system in the world, the Minister for Education, Richard Bruton, is fond of saying. This industrial action isn’t just a crack in that facade. It’s another warning sign of what happens when a problem – higher education funding – is left unsolved. One would hope the government pays heed.
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Ní rud nua é léachtóirí ar stailc nó mic léinn feargacha. Le blianta beaga anuas, tá an Roinn Oideachais tar éis dul i dtaithí ar línte phicéid agus ar phlaiceaird, bíodh is nach bhfuil móran déanta acu chun mianta an tríú leibhéil a shásamh. Ní oibróidh baill foirne in institiúidí teicneolaíochta timpeall na tíre uair sa bhreis mar chuid de socruithe pá nua. Is dócha nach mbeidh tionchar ar bith ag an nuacht seo ar an rialtas. Ach ba cheart go mbeidh. Bhí scairdeanna feirge le braistint transa campais éagsúla ar feadh tamaill anois. Bhí Tóg an Tríonóid ar ais againn, múscailte ag an gcnuasach frustrachais de bharr tráchtálú agus ciorruithe difriúla. Níl a lán foighne fágtha ag mic léinn nó ag lucht bainistíochta in Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath de bharr na brabúsaíochta san earnáil tithíochta príobháidí. Níl aon éileamh antoisceach acu. Tá ualach oibre soláimhsithe ag teastáil ó na léachtóirí in institiúdí teicneolaíochta. Is éard atá á éileamh ag mic léinn ná tithíocht nach bhfuil róchostasach – níl na héilimh seo chun bunchloch an stáit a chasadh bun os cionn. Ach tá faillí an rialtais tar éis dul i bhfeidhm ar mheanma atá ídithe cheana féin. B’fhéidir go luaifear Bille na n-Ollscoileanna Teicneolaíochta mar bhua reachtaíochta ach níl an chaithréim seo tar éis dea-thoil nó buíochas a chruthú san earnáil seo. Ina ionad sin, is féidir linn bheith ag súil le níos mó gníomhaíochta tionsclaíche. Tóg i gcás an Ríocht Aontaithe, léachtóirí ar stailc agus ranganna curtha ar ceal mar chuid de chath idir baill foirne agus lucht bainistíochta. Chuir comhréiteach míshocair deireadh leis an streachailt sin. Cuireadh fís den ardoideachas in Éirinn ar fáil don phobal ar feadh na mblianta. Creidtear go bhfuil an t-ardoideachas measúil, idirnáisiúnta agus sárthábhachtach don infheistíocht. Is minic a deir an tAire Oideachais Richard Bruton go mbeidh an córas oideachais is fearr ar domhan againn. Tá níos mó i gceist leis an gníomhaíocht thionsclaíoch ná cur i gcéill a bhfuil ag teipeadh air. Is rabhadh eile é nuair nach n-aimsítear réiteach d’fhadhb maoiniú an ardoideachais. Bheifí ag súil go nglacann an rialtas leis an gcomhairle seo.