Departmental Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 July 2013

Tuesday, 2 July 2013

Ceisteanna (304)

Andrew Doyle

Ceist:

304. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 235 of 12 March 2013, in view of the fact that the State over the past four years has spent nearly €5 million on payslips and postage to school employees and pensioners, the progress that has been made in his Department in implementing a cost effective online payslip system that is intended to be rolled out by the end of 2014; if consideration has been given to bringing this forward in view of the significant savings it would yield for the State; if the scheme will be similar to the online payslip facility that ran on a pilot basis for officials from his Department in Tullamore, County Offaly; if physical payslips ceased to be issued by his Department to officials nationwide by 15 March 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31615/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Further to my response to the Deputy's earlier Parliamentary Question No. 235 of 12th March 2013, it has not been possible to progress the implementation of a cost effective online payslip system for school employees and pensioners, in the intervening period, due to other priorities. Since March of this year, there have been significant developments to the school employee/pensioner payrolls, including an allowance review for recently appointed teachers, implementation of the Local Property Tax, in addition to measures provided for under the Haddington Road Agreement and the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI) Act 2013.

Work is also ongoing on the implementation of Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 along with preparation for the implementation of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) European Union Regulation etc. As regards the Department's staff, I can confirm that the on-line payslips pilot has completed and as scheduled the issuing of physical payslips for all staff on the Department's ICT network, ceased with effect from 15th March 2013. A solution is still being investigated with regard to the officers on field duties, as they are not on the Department's ICT network.