Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 October 2023
302. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education her plans to re-introduce additional payments for teachers who gain extra qualifications, such as a special education qualification or a doctorate degree; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42317/23]
View answerIn September 2012 my Department, following a Government Decision on the matter, implemented the outcome of the review of allowances and premium payments by the then Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result many allowances, including the allowances referred to by the Deputy, were no longer payable to many new public service entrants including “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In common with a number of job-role based allowances, sanction for payment to new beneficiaries was withdrawn from 1st February 2012 under the terms of the Circular. Furthermore, if a teacher was eligible for receipt of the allowance prior to 1st February 2012 and subsequently left that job role on a voluntary basis, their entitlement to the allowance ceases from the date of the move and they cannot re-gain entitlement.
Over the course of recent collective agreements amendments have been agreed, including that new entrant teachers had the equivalent value of an Honours Primary Degree allowance integrated into their salary scale. More recently the equivalent value of the Professional Masters in Education (PME) Allowances has been integrated into the salary scale of new entrant post primary teachers.
Any further 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 or through the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC) forum. The TCC deals with claims and proposals relating to the terms and conditions of employment, including pay and allowances, of teachers to which the Department, management representatives and unions are all party.
The restoration of allowances is currently a matter under discussion at TCC at present. As proceedings of the TCC are confidential, it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment while it remains under consideration.
