The independent body that examines public service appointments is examining "perceived irregularities" at six third-level colleges.
The Commission for Public Service Appointments (CPSA) is examining appointment procedures at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Galway/Mayo IT, Athlone IT, Carlow IT, Sligo IT and Blanchardstown IT in Dublin.
Sources stress there is no evidence of any wrongdoing in these or other institutes.
Dr Richard Thorn, head of the council of directors at the Institutes of Technology and director of Sligo IT, said he knew of no recent case in which appointments in any IT had been overturned through the legal process. While it up to any disgruntled employee to make allegations, the selection procedures complied with best practice, he said.
In a letter to branch members, Peter McMenamin, deputy general secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI), says the CPSA review follows "a number of perceived irregularities regarding appointments" in the institutes of technology sector.
Last night, Mr McMenamin said the review was taking place at the request of the management team in each college - and in full consultation with the union.
TUI branches have been requested to advise their executive of "instances in relation to appointments or promotions where it can be clearly demonstrated/strongly suspected that best practice in terms of openness, fairness and transparency was not followed".
Dr Thorn said the current 15-year-old regulations governing appointments in the sector were unwieldy and needed updating, but he was satisfied they were working fairly.
The Department of Education last week reminded management at all 14 institutes that all vacancies for posts of more than six months' duration must go through the full, formal appointments process.
The CPSA is an independent body that sets standards for recruitment and selection to the Civil Service and a wide range of public service bodies. One of the principal functions of the commission is to safeguard these standards through regular monitoring and auditing of recruitment and selection activities.
The commission consists of five ex-officio members, including the Ceann Comhairle, John O'Donoghue; Dermot McCarthy, the secretary general to the Government; and Emily O'Reilly, the Ombudsman.
The institute of technology sector has expanded hugely in the past 15 years. The sector has been credited with a very significant role in economic expansion, especially in the regions.
But in recent years, some ITs have struggled to fill places on courses as students opt for the university sector.
Last July, a senior childcare lecturer at Athlone IT resigned after it emerged he had convictions for sexual offences. At the time, the controversy raised questions about management procedures at the institute.
Last night, a Department of Education spokeswoman explained that the Minister for Education and Science sanctions new posts and determines selection procedures for appointments to posts in the ITs.
"The current selection procedures for academic posts cover such matters as the need to advertise posts in at least one national daily morning newspaper, the composition of selection boards and the screening and shortlisting of candidates."
The Minister has no statutory function in relation to "determining qualifications" for particular posts or "the selection of particular individuals for appointment. These are matters for the institutes. However, it is incumbent on institutes to ensure that all appointees are properly qualified and that the recruitment procedures are operated in a fair and reasonable way."
