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Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Questions (591)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

591. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if secretaries, caretakers, bus escorts and cleaners are included in the 1% pay increase measures contained in budget 2022. [51065/21]

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Written answers

Building Momentum – a new public service agreement, 2021-2022" was agreed between Government and Unions earlier this year. The agreement provides for:

- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 1% or €500, whichever is greater, on October 2021. 

- The equivalent of a 1% increase in annualised basic salaries to be used as a Sectoral Bargaining Fund, in accordance with Chapter 2 of the Agreement, on 1 February 2022.

- A general round increase in annualised basic salaries for all public servants of 1% or €500, whichever is greater on, 1 October 2022.

These pay increases will apply to public servants, subject to compliance with sectoral action plans and industrial peace provisions of the agreement.

The increase does not apply beyond public servants and therefore grant funded school staff such as secretaries, caretakers, bus escorts and cleaner employed directly by schools are not comprehended by the agreement.

My Department has acted in recent years on the pay of grant funded staff.  For example it has fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period for secretaries and caretakers.

You will be aware that Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim from that arbitration and officials from my Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in this dispute. Subject to agreement on all elements of the claim, the Department has offered to move School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis with an effective date of implementation for these new pay arrangements of 1st September 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The pay scale offered will include the 1% pay increase from 1 October 2021 and onwards.

My officials have engaged with Fórsa throughout this process and I look forward to continued progress under the Workplace Relations Commission.

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