Urgent Government action to address the funding crisis in Further and Higher Education and secure protections for workers as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly embedded across public and community services, were priorities in a motion from the Education Sector at PAC BDC 2026.
Delegates warned that rising student numbers and growing demand for apprenticeships were placing additional pressure on staff and institutions, with chronic underinvestment threatening the long-term sustainability of education services across the State.
The education motion calls on the Government to fully address the funding gap identified under the Funding the Future Framework through sustained, multi-annual investment. It also seeks stronger staffing levels, expanded apprenticeship provision, improved learner supports and investment in facilities and infrastructure.
Speaking during the debate, SIPTU Shop Steward Michael Geoghegan, said: “Adequate funding is about far more than buildings and programmes. It is about the people who deliver education every day. Too many workers are trapped in cycles of insecure employment while carrying out work that institutions rely on year after year.
“Secure employment is not a luxury. It is the foundation on which workers build their lives, support their families and contribute to their communities.”
Delegates highlighted the need to end reliance on fixed-term contracts and project-based funding for essential work. They also warned that future skills shortages cannot be addressed without adequate resources and staffing for apprenticeship education and training.
The AI motion calls on SIPTU’s National Executive Council and the Division to develop a comprehensive policy, engage with employers and the Government, secure safeguards against job displacement and ensure access to training and upskilling.
Delegates recognised the potential for AI to improve services and reduce repetitive tasks, while warning against its use to cut staffing, intensify workloads or undermine conditions.
SIPTU Education Sector Shop Steward Bronagh Clarke, said: “Artificial Intelligence must work for workers, not against them. The question is not whether AI is coming. It is already here. The question is who gets to decide how it is used. Workers and their unions must have a voice in decisions that affect jobs, livelihoods and working conditions.”
University College Cork SIPTU Convenor, Gary Hurley, added: “Any productivity gains arising from AI must be shared through better jobs, improved services and manageable workloads. Meaningful consultation, collective bargaining and binding safeguards are essential if workers are to benefit from technological change.”
Photo: SIPTU Shop Steward, Bronagh Clarke, addressing the SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Biennial Delegate Conference at the Galway Bay Hotel (Friday, 23rd October).