Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 May 2016
96. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to put a system in place to allow secretaries to become direct employees of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10898/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of Clerical Officers and Caretakers in primary and secondary schools. While a small number of these staff remain in schools, the schemes are being phased out and have been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive capitation grant assistance to provide for secretarial (and/or caretaking) services. Within the capitation grant schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs and the Department does not stipulate how secretarial services are to be obtained. Where a school uses the grant funding to employ a secretary, such staff are employees of individual schools. My Department therefore does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. These are matters to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities.
Notwithstanding the above, in 2015 my Department agreed to engage with the union side in relation to the pay of School Secretaries and Caretakers who are employed using grant funding and to enter an arbitration process if necessary. The Arbitrator recommended a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 for School Secretaries and Caretakers comprehended by the terms of the arbitration process and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 for such staff be phased in over the period 2016 to 2019. The Arbitrator's recommendations were accepted by both sides. My Department issued Circulars to schools which gave effect to the measures which applied from 1 January 2016 (i.e. an increase of 2.5% in the hourly pay rate and the introduction of a minimum hourly rate of €10.25) and revised grant rates.
