Higher education trade union the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has warned that up to 150 research jobs could be at risk following the closure of a number of research centres after core funding was not renewed.
The union said that the centres affected include Trinity College Dublin's CRANN and AMBER centres.
Calling for Government action, IFUT said that, while consultation processes had commenced for certain staff categories, research staff had not yet been engaged through a structured parallel process.
It said this had left many in significant uncertainty regarding their employment and future prospects.
"These centres were established through substantial public investment and presented as long-term pillars of Ireland’s research strategy," said Assistant General Secretary of IFUT, Robert McNamara.
"Researchers were recruited internationally and encouraged to build careers here. The decision not to renew or extend funding has now placed many of those careers in jeopardy."
He said this was not simply an institutional issue.
"It raises serious national questions about research workforce planning. When major research centres are closed without structured transition arrangements, the consequences extend far beyond a single campus", he said.
However, Trinity College said the union was "premature" in putting a number on potential job losses.
The union said it has written to Trinity College seeking clarification regarding its obligations under the Protection of Employment Acts (1977–2024) and the applicability of public service agreement provisions concerning the avoidance of compulsory redundancies and redeployment.
Trinity College confirmed that research facility AMBER (the Centre for Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research) was unsuccessful in its latest bid for funding from Research Ireland.
"A process is now under way to manage this development and how it impacts AMBER and the CRANN (the Centre for Research on Adaptive Nanostructures and Nanodevices) institute," the college said.
The process will conclude by the end of June.
However, Trinity said that CRANN was not facing closure.
"It will continue to exist supporting our researchers to deliver nano and materials science research.
"Trinity's priority is making sure all staff are informed of their status and opportunities. Their wellbeing is being focused on through communication and meetings," it said.
IFUT said it has also sought urgent meetings with Research Ireland, under which the centres operate, as well as the Minister for Further and Higher Education, and senior officials in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
"Without coordinated action, highly skilled researchers may be lost from the Irish research system, career progression for early-career researchers will be severely disrupted, and significant public investment in research capacity risks being undermined," the union said.
