asked the Minister for Education whether, in view of the fact that it is part of the conditions of service of officers of vocational education committees that they should receive the same cost-of-living bonus as civil servants, the increases in the emergency cost-of-living bonus recently announced for civil servants and other officials will be paid to teachers and other officers of vocational education committees, and, if so, from what date.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Vocational Education Officers' Bonus.
The increased emergency bonus recently sanctioned in the cases of civil servants has now been made applicable to officials of vocational education committees and a circular letter has been issued to each of these committees authorising payment to whole-time teachers at the following rates: Married men, widowers and widows, 10/- per week; married women and unmarried men and women, 8/- per week, and in the case of the full-time non-teaching staff at rates not exceeding the emergency bonus paid to corresponding categories of the parent local authority. The increased emergency bonus in accordance with rates so fixed may be paid as from the 1st January, 1944, in every case where the payment of this emergency bonus will not raise the total remuneration of any officer or servant above £500 per annum.
I cannot, however, accept the assumption on which the question is based that whole-time officers of vocational education committees are entitled automatically to every bonus award made to civil servants.
Does the Minister propose to cover part-time teachers and clerks in this new award?
That is a separate question.