asked the Minister for Education if it is correct that the conciliation council for secondary teachers has now ceased to exist; and, if so, if he will inform the House what is the precise structure and composition of the joint body or bodies through which he proposes that the negotiation of salary claims for primary, secondary and vocational teachers will in future be conducted.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Secondary Teachers.
92.
The separate conciliation council for secondary teachers has now ceased to exist as have those for national and vocational teachers.
A copy of the proposed common scheme of conciliation and arbitration for all teachers is being placed in the Library of the House for the information of Deputies.
93.
asked the Minister for Education whether the payment of additional salaries to secondary teachers holding posts of special responsibility, as envisaged in the Ryan report and in the salary settlement of March, 1969, has yet begun; if so, if he will state the amount of the total annual cost involved; the proportion of teachers affected who are members of the laity and the proportion who are members of religious orders; and the definition of special responsibility which is applied by his Department in assessing eligibility for such payments.
What was envisaged in the report of the Teachers' Salaries Tribunal in the case of secondary teachers was a system of posts of responsibility including principalships and vice-principalships, to which allowances as recommended by the tribunal would be attached. The total cost involved for the school year 1968-69 was estimated at £650,000. The number of posts which would have been created was about 2,600 in relation to a total number of about 5,400 secondary teachers then in the service. The proportion of lay teachers in the service was 60 per cent. It is not possible to state what proportion of the posts would have been held by lay teachers because the system envisaged by the tribunal has not come into effect.
What was introduced under the conciliation council agreement of March, 1969, was an arrangement of allowances related specifically to the last eight points of the salary scale for teachers who would be prepared to accept definable special functions in their schools. Under this arrangement the £650,000 made available under the tribunal's system was distributed to the secondary teachers on the basis primarily of seniority without regard to religious or lay status. The definition of the special functions to be performed has not been completed because the arrangement itself is under review for the school year 1969-70.
It would appear that the special function is in regard to seniority.
As related to the agreement of March but this is all under review at the moment.