Dáil Éireann Debate, Monday - 11 September 2023
596. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if, given the particular emphasis on continuing professional development (CCPD) and equality, consideration would be given to the entitlement of an allowance to teachers with additional qualifications (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37312/23]
View answerMy Department implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments in September 2012 by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which meant that many allowances, were no longer payable to “new entrant” Teachers.
Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this review on teachers. In common with a number of job-role based allowances, sanction for payment to new beneficiaries of certain allowances was withdrawn from 1 February 2012 under the terms of this Circular. Furthermore, if a teacher was eligible for receipt of the allowance prior to 1 February 2012 and subsequently left that job role on or after 1 February 2012 on a voluntary basis, their entitlement to the allowance ceases from the date of the move and they cannot re-gain entitlement.
Amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, including pay and allowances, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions. Over the course of recent collective agreements amendments have been agreed, including that new entrant teachers had the equivalent of an Honours Primary Degree allowance integrated into their salary scale. More recently the equivalent of the Professional Masters in Education (PME) Allowances has been integrated into the salary scale of new entrant post primary teachers.
Any review of the eligibility criteria for allowances, including qualification allowances, can occur only under that process and any such proposals would need to be considered in detail by the Department should the relevant unions seek to engage on this.
