IT Tallaght lecturers send out a strong message to Government
By Mary Dennehy
LECTURERS at IT Tallaght sent a “strong message” to Government, on the day General Election 2016 was announced, about its “failure” in relation to third-level education.
Since 2008, IT Tallaght has been hit with massive funding cuts of more than 40 per cent, with staff numbers also down by 10 per cent – despite student numbers on the rise.
On Wednesday, local lecturers voiced their concerns at the gates to IT Tallaght, when they took part in a nationwide industrial action by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI).
Maths lecturer Martin Marjoram, who is also on the National Executive Committee of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), told The Echo: “It’s pretty apt that action took place on the same day that the outgoing Government announced the General Election date.
“We have sent a strong message to the outgoing Government who have failed totally in relation to third-level education and we are now left with a funding crisis, staffing crisis and broken promises.
“One of these broken promises is student fees, which in a place like Tallaght has a huge impact.”
He added: “What can be more important to invest in than education?
“Institutes of Technology like IT Tallaght are vital in having a real recovery for the economy and we will continue on with industrial action regardless of what happens after the General Election. Third-level education is at crisis point.”
Mr Marjoram highlighted the need boost the sector and invest in teachers, with the maths lecturer claiming that current staff are overworked and stretched as they lose colleagues but gain students – resulting in bigger class sizes, which is impacting on IT Tallaght’s ability to provide individual guidance to students and one-to-one attention.
“Change needs to be brought in to protect young people’s future”, Mr Marjoram said.
“Our action on Wednesday can also be seen as a message to the incoming Government, investment needs to be made in third level education now. If the current Government returns to power or we have a new make-up, we need them to do a lot better.”
IT Tallaght lecturers were joined on the picket line by Gerry Quinn, TUI President, John McGabhann, TUI General Secretary, and Kevin Donoghue, the Student Union of Ireland President.
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