The Education (Academic Tenure)(Northern Ireland) Order 1988

Duty of Commissioners

4.—(1) The Commissioners shall exercise the powers conferred by Article 5 with a view to securing that the statutes of each qualifying institution include—

(a) provision enabling an appropriate body, or any delegate of such a body, to dismiss any member of the academic staff by reason of redundancy;

(b) provision enabling an appropriate officer, or any delegate of such an officer, acting in accordance with procedures determined by the Commissioners, to dismiss any member of the academic staff for good cause;

(c) provision establishing disciplinary procedures determined by the Commissioners for dealing with any complaints made against any member of the academic staff relating to his appointment or employment;

(d) provision establishing procedures determined by the Commissioners for hearing and determining appeals by any members of the academic staff who are dismissed or under notice of dismissal (whether or not in pursuance of such provision as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) or (b)) or who are otherwise disciplined; and

(e) provision establishing procedures determined by the Commissioners for affording to any member of the academic staff opportunities for seeking redress for any grievances relating to his appointment or employment.

(2) No provision such as is mentioned in paragraph (1)(a) or (b) which is included in the statutes of a qualifying institution by virtue of Article 5 shall enable any member of the academic staff to be dismissed unless the reason for his dismissal may in the circumstances (including the size and administrative resources of the institution) reasonably be treated as a sufficient reason for dismissing him.

(3) Any reference in this Article to academic staff includes a reference to persons whose terms of appointment or contracts of employment are, in the opinion of the Commissioners, so similar to those of academic staff as to justify their being treated as academic staff for the purposes of this Article.

(4) For the purposes of this Article the dismissal of a member of staff shall be taken to be a dismissal by reason of redundancy if it is attributable wholly or mainly to—

(a) the fact that the institution has ceased, or intends to cease, to carry on the activity for the purposes of which he was appointed or employed by the institution, or has ceased, or intends to cease, to carry on that activity in the place in which he carried out his work; or

(b) the fact that the requirements of that activity for members of staff to carry out work of a particular kind, or for members of staff to carry out work of a particular kind in that place, have ceased or diminished or are expected to cease or diminish.

(5) For the purposes of this Article “good cause”, in relation to a member of the academic staff of a qualifying institution, means a reason which is related to his conduct or to his capability or qualifications for performing work of the kind which he was appointed or employed to do; and in this paragraph—

(a) “capability”, in relation to such a member, means capability assessed by reference to skill, aptitude, health or any other physical or mental quality; and

(b) “qualifications”, in relation to such a member, means any degree, diploma or other academic, technical or professional qualification relevant to the office or position held by him.

(6) In this Article—

“appropriate”, in relation to a body or officer of a qualifying institution, means appearing to the Commissioners to be appropriate having regard to the nature and circumstances of the institution;

“dismiss” and “dismissal”—

(a)

include remove or, as the case may be, removal from office; and

(b)

in relation to employment under a contract of employment, shall be construed in accordance with Article 21 of the Industrial Relations (Northern Ireland) Order 1976(1).

(1)

1976 NI 16