Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2013
2. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied to allow primary school classes to double up to numbers in excess of 40 children per classroom, in order that teachers can, as mandated by Croke Park II, cover for colleagues who are on certified sick leave because substitution is no longer permitted. [12113/13]
View answerThe proposals put forward by the Labour Relations Commission on an extension to the Croke Park agreement, which include a requirement for teachers to provide cover for the first day of certified sick absence, arise from an intensive and difficult set of negotiations between the public services committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Government. These negotiations took place against a backdrop of continuing significant difficulties in the finances of the State.
The public service trade unions are currently considering the outcome of these negotiations. Their members now have an important decision to make and, in my view, it is better for us all to allow them the time and space to reflect and come to that decision without any perceived pressure from any side. In light of that, it would not be helpful to this ongoing process for me to comment or elaborate upon proposals which were carefully constructed by the LRC.
I take on board that it is now a matter for the unions to decide whether they accept the proposals, but does the Minister think it is satisfactory that, because the first day of sick leave absence will not be covered by a substitute, we could have class sizes of up to 40 students? I am not asking the Minister to comment on the proposals in the agreement. I am asking for his opinion as Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of class sizes of 40 students is acceptable.
The Deputy referred to this in his question and I have a supplementary note that was provided for me. It states that the position set out by the Deputy in the question is not entirely correct. The question refers to substitution being no longer permitted for teachers on certified sick leave. The position as set out in the Labour Relations Commission proposals is that teachers will be expected to cover for the first day only of certified sick absences so substitution will continue to be provided for all subsequent days of certified sick absences. It is crucial to keep in mind the context in which these negotiations take place. The State is still in a very serious financial and budgetary situation. Whatever information the Deputy was given in good faith by someone else, the nature of these things is that clarification is part and parcel of how the LRC proposals will affect the broad public sector. The person who spoke to the Deputy might, according to my briefing note, have had an incorrect understanding of the proposals.
The proposal is that for the first day of sick leave, there will be no substitution and classes may have to double up in schools.
That is not my understanding of the situation.
