Olwyn Enright
Question:46 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to deal with the on-going dispute between the ASTI and his Department in relation to substitution and supervision. [14970/02]
Ceisteanna – Questions (Resumed). Priority Questions. - Industrial Relations.
The current action by the ASTI in relation to supervision and substitution is part of its campaign to have its 30% pay claim addressed.
The Government's position on the ASTI core claim is that the benchmarking process is the appropriate means of addressing this issue. While the ASTI refused to participate in the benchmarking process the INTO and TUI took an active part which will result in teachers' pay being fully addressed in the report of the Public Service Benchmarking Body which will be published at the end of this month.
A formal offer of €34.28 per hour for supervision and substitution was put to the three teacher unions in October 2001. The offer was accepted by the INTO but rejected by the ASTI and TUI following a ballot of their members. The ASTI issued a directive to its members to withdraw from supervision and substitution with effect from 4 March 2002. The directive applies to supervision at break times and before and after school and to substitution by permanent teachers for absent colleagues. The ASTI central executive also indicated that it would not enter into any further negotiations on this matter pending the settlement of its 30% pay claim.
At a meeting of the teachers' conciliation council on 12 March 2002 the TUI and INTO requested that further discussions take place on the issue of supervision and substitution. The ASTI confirmed it was precluded from dealing with this matter but did not object to the discussions going ahead. These discussions commenced on 28 March with the assistance of a facilitator. Following a number of meetings the facilitator issued a proposal on 26 April 2002 for acceptance. The proposal provides for an improved rate from 1 September 2002, further discussions on pensionability and payment for the current year on the basis of the original proposals.
The proposal has since been accepted by the Government and by both the INTO and TUI and payments, where appropriate, will be made for the 2001-02 school year. The terms of the proposal remain on offer to the ASTI. I now ask the ASTI to consider the proposal and put the improved offer to a ballot of its members in advance of the next school year.
Since his appointment, has the Minister made any effort to contact the ASTI to see if it will negotiate with him on the matter? Given that it has cost €17.8 million so far for substitution and supervision, can the Minister confirm that this is about €6 million over budget from what was expected? Considering that not all schools have submitted claims for substitution and supervision, does the Minister know what the total cost will be? Has the Minister given consideration to the proposal by principals to look for a once-off payment for the extra work involved for them in light of the fact that there is considerable strain and inconvenience in operating the system in schools?
May I ask a supplementary question?
The Deputy knows that he cannot ask a supplementary question. The Deputy is out of order. I have called the Minister to reply.
I want to make a point of order.
The Deputy cannot make a point of order. This is Question Time.
On a point of order, there is not a quorum.
These are priority questions between the Minister and Deputy—
A Cheann Comhairle, I draw to your attention, under Standing Orders, that there is not a quorum in the House.
Notice taken that 20 Members were not present; House counted and 20 Members being present,
I cannot tell the Deputy what the final cost of the supervision will be. It is about €17.8 million currently. Obviously it depends on a range of factors at the latter part of the year, but it will be in excess of €17.8 million. The ASTI made it very clear to my predecessor and the Department that it is bound by a decision and it will not enter any further negotiations on this issue. There is little I can do about that but I have issued an invitation to the ASTI and the other unions to meet me. It will be an informal meeting where they will have the opportunity to meet me and highlight issues of concern and I will do like wise. Those meetings will take place over the next couple of years. I am not aware of any formal claim or submission being made on behalf of the principals, although I am aware informally of talk of once-off payments. We will look at that when it comes to the Department but I do not have anything before me now.
Has the Minister a contingency plan in place to ensure schools will function properly if the teachers pull out of the process in September or if the principals decide not to work under the current system if the issue has not been resolved?
The plans that have been in place are still in place and they will be the plans I will follow. I hope that the ASTI will reverse its decision on supervision and substitution between now and September. If it does so the problem will be resolved.