Richard Bruton
Ceist:79 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the number and value of awards withheld under benchmarking; and the recommendations of the performance verification group in each case. [4704/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 19 February 2004
Ceisteanna (86)
Freagraí scríofa
As provided for in Sustaining Progress the Secretary General of my Department and the education sector performance verification group accepted a progress report provided by the teachers conciliation council confirming progress on the agreed commitments. This was provided in the context of the payments applicable from 1 January 2004 and was predicated on the expectation that real progress would be made in the discussions on parent-teacher meetings which, under the agreement, were scheduled to be concluded before the end of December 2003. Due to the fact that no agreement had been reached and that the issue was being referred to the arbitration board it was the view of the Secretary General that it was only reasonable to await executing arrangements for the payments due 1 January 2004 until the arbitration process had concluded. Agreement has now been reached on the arrangements for the holding of parent-teacher meetings following the arbitration process.
The Deputy will be aware that difficulties arose with issues of non-compliance by certain schools regarding the agreed arrangements for the standardised school year. In order to report comprehensively on the position and to bring the matter to the teachers conciliation council for its consideration my Department requested that each school complete a declaration regarding compliance with the agreements reached in respect of the standardised school year, parent-teacher meeting and staff meetings for the school year 2003-2004.
The outcome of that process was considered by the teachers conciliation council in the context of their finalising proposals for the arrangements for the standardised school year for the coming school years. Agreement has now been reached at the council on the arrangements for the next four school years which will enable my Department to execute the arrangements for payment of the appropriate increases to teachers without delay. The payments will be backdated to 1 January 2004.
Payment of the 3% general round increase due 1 January 2004 under Sustaining Progress is being withheld in respect of technicians in Athlone Institute of Technology pending a satisfactory resolution of a local issue relating to the grade. Discussions on this issue are ongoing.
Discussions on a modernisation agenda are continuing under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission for the grades of special needs assistants and school secretaries. Payment of the appropriate increases cannot be made until agreement has been reached and verifiable progress on the modernisation agenda has been recorded.
Question No. 80 answered with QuestionNo. 18.