Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 April 2025
790. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education the position regarding negotiations with trade unions representing school secretaries and caretakers in relation to pension parity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18798/25]
View answerThe Department of Education has been providing a payroll service for former grant funded school secretaries with effect from 1st September 2023. The provision of this payroll service is part of a package agreed with Fórsa, the trade union representing school secretaries, following a series of engagements at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in 2022. The agreement provided for secretaries, who signed up for the package, to be moved to a pay scale aligned with that of Grade III/CO and for some enhanced terms and conditions including improved leave entitlements and maternity provisions. This was implemented under Circular 0036/2022. The agreement however did not grant public servant status to school secretaries and therefore this cohort do not have access to the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.
The school remains the employer of school secretaries and it is their obligation to provide access to a PRSA scheme for employees. For secretaries who are paid through the Department-administered payroll, a facility is now being offered to join a PRSA scheme administered by Cornmarket with contributions being deducted at source. Secretaries who wish to avail of this option can contact Cornmarket directly – the participation of individuals in any scheme is a matter between the individual and the service provider.
The Department is committed to ensuring that school caretakers will be afforded the opportunity to avail of a similar package offered to school secretaries in the near future. At present, work is ongoing to review results of a comprehensive survey which will enable my officials to confirm their understanding of the current working patterns as well as terms and conditions of work for school caretakers. In parallel with this, the Department are actively in communication with Fórsa on this important issue and regular bilateral meetings are occurring. Matters discussed have contributed to a clearer understanding of the differences in existing terms and conditions of caretakers to secretaries.
Any changes to the terms and conditions agreed for these secretaries under Circular 0036/2022, or for Caretakers, can occur only under industrial relations processes and any such proposals would need to be considered in detail by this Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.
