asked the Minister for Education the average salary of the teaching profession on 1 January 1980, and 1 January 1985 as compared with administrative officers, higher executive officers, Garda inspectors, Garda superintendents, school inspectors, psychologists, parks superintendents, quantity surveyor, Army captain, Army commandant, civil engineer grade 2, between 1 January 1980 and 1 January 1985.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Teachers' Salaries.
2.
The information requested by the Deputy is in the form of a tabular statement which will be circulated in the Official Report. In comparing the rates of pay shown for the different categories the following points should be borne in mind:
1. The pay shown for teachers relates to a recruitment grade while the others, with the exception of that for administrative officer, refer to promotional grades which would normally be reached at an older age than in the case of teachers.
2. An honours university degree is a normal requirement for direct recruitment to the grade administrative officer.
3. Included in the rates of pay shown for a teacher is a qualification allowance in respect of a pass primary degree, the rate of which was £241 on 1 January 1980 and £472 on 1 January 1985. Qualification allowances for teachers vary, depending on the particular qualifications held. The main allowances other than that for pass primary degree, with rates on 1 January 1980 and 1 January 1985 are:
|
1/1/1980 |
1/1/1985 |
|
|
£ |
£ |
|
|
Honours Primary Degree |
642 |
1,257 |
|
Pass HDE |
77 |
149 |
|
Honours HDE |
162 |
316 |
4. Teachers holding posts of responsibility — principal, vice-principal, grade A post or grade B post — are paid additional allowances which on 1 January 1980 ranged from £318 to £3,185 and on 1 January 1985 from £752 to £6,474.
|
1 January, 1980 |
1 January 1985 |
|||
|
Min. |
Max |
Min. |
Max. |
|
|
£ |
£ |
£ |
£ |
|
|
Teacher |
*4,693 |
*7,221 |
*8,680 |
*13,265 (normal max.) |
|
15,450 (inclusive of long-phased increments) |
||||
|
Administrative Officer |
4,967 |
8,262 |
9,096 |
14,791 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
6,739 |
8,262 |
12,316 |
14,791 |
|
Garda Inspector |
†6,540 |
†7,194 |
†13,232 |
†14,513 |
|
Garda Superintendent |
†8,475 |
†9,565 |
†17,116 |
†19,276 |
|
School Inspector |
6,824 |
9,282 |
12,253 |
17,941 |
|
Psychologist (Dept. of Ed.) |
6,824 |
9,282 |
12,253 |
17,941 |
|
Parks Superintendent |
†8,257 |
†9,425 |
†16,043 |
†18,477 |
|
Quantity Surveyor, Grada II |
8,257 |
9,425 |
16,043 |
18,477 |
|
Army Commandant |
6,535 |
7,374 |
12,155 |
13,339 |
|
Army Comandant |
7,374 |
8,042 |
14,049 |
15,309 |
|
Civil Engineer, Grade II |
8,257 |
9,425 |
16,043 |
18,477 |
* Subject to a 5 per cent deduction in respect of superannuation
†Subject to a 1¾ per cent deduction in respect of superannuation.
Representatives of the teaching profession in my constituency raised this problem with me. It arises from long discussion with the section of the teachers organisation who requested me to raise the matter. Has the Minister taken the scale of salary at entry to the profession as compared with ——
The figure quoted by the Deputy as the first point is £7,922. That is the first point of the teachers' scale, not the starting point. A teacher who has a pass degree after a three year course of training, on 1 January 1985 had starting pay of £8,660. As I have explained, if a teacher had an honour's degree and the HDE, and a four year course of training, the salary would be more. The starting point is not strictly accurate. It is usually higher.
So the Minister is saying that her response to my question is not strictly accurate. I am not making a great point about this. If the Minister is saying that her figures are not accurate I will accept that and perhaps I will raise the matter again so that I can get accurate information. We are dealing with an intelligent group of people and I do not want to be wrong footed when I go back to them. I want to know whether I should put down another question to get the accurate figures.
By all means do, but I must explain that many elements enter into the matter. Perhaps when the Deputy has had time to look at the table and my reply——
When I read the Minister's reply in full I may wish to repeat the question.