European regulations preventing the exploitation of part-time workers have been approved by the Assembly.
Dr Sean Farren, Education and Training Minister, told the Assembly that under the regulations part-timers must receive the same rate of pay, same occupational pension rights, access to training, holiday entitlement and paternity or maternity pay as a comparable full-timer.
Dr Farren also announced u£40 million funding for research in the North's two universities.
Among the projects is u£9 million an international research centre for experimental physics at Queen's University to create a worldclass experimental physics laboratory. u£3 million to establish an Academy for Irish Culture Heritages(sic). Meanwhile, the Agriculture Minister was criticised for her department's handling of a Bill dealing with dangerous dogs.
Mr Peter Robinson succeeded in having an amendment accepted to the bill, which will give courts the right to impose restrictions other than a destruction order on a dog accused of threatening or attacking people.
However, the Democratic Unionist deputy leader attacked the bill, claiming it was one of the worst prepared pieces of legislation brought before the Assembly. He said the minister, Mrs Brid Rodgers, had failed to consult local councils about the legislation even though they would have to enforce it.
Mrs Rodgers accepted the amendment but said Mr Robinson was "very good on rhetoric, not so good on substance sometimes."
Mr Robinson said the Minister had given him "dogs abuse" but thanked her nevertheless.
Meanwhile, proposals to replace the GP fund-holding system with a new scheme for local health and social care groups were unveiled by the Health Minister, Ms Bairbre de Brun. The new groups will consist of GPs, health visitors, midwives, district nurses, etc, working together to serve populations of between 50,000 and 150,000.
Ms de Brun said the new system would cut administration costs and "strengthen structures for delivering high-quality primary care services in local communities".