Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 November 2018
85. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to deal with the outstanding issues of pay equality in the view of possible industrial disputes in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49541/18]
View answerThe public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2011 was €27,814. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €36,318 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692.
Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 provides that “the Minister [for Public Expenditure and Reform] shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the cost of and a plan in dealing with pay equalisation for new entrants to the public service.”
The report laid before the Oireachtas on foot of this provision by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform assesses the cost of a further change which would provide a two scale point adjustment to new entrants recruited since 2011. The total cost of such an adjustment across the public sector is of the order of €200 million, of which Education accounts for €83 million. The report also acknowledges that, during the financial crisis, there were policy changes which affected remuneration in different occupations across the public sector (including education).
The matter of new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector alone. The Government supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.
On 24 September 2018, an agreement was reached between the Government and the public services committee of ICTU in respect of new entrant pay.
This agreement will benefit 16,000 teachers and nearly 5,000 SNAs within the education sector. The deal provides for a series of incremental jumps for new entrants.
These restorations for new entrants have been achieved through continued engagement and collective bargaining between the Government and the public service unions and shows the benefits that such engagement can bring. In the context of the agreement reached and which applies across the public sector, further measures in this area are not being contemplated.
The Public Service Stability Agreement provides a range of protections and benefits to public servants who are covered by the agreement. If a union opts to withdraw from the agreement, they are choosing to forgo these protections and benefits.
