Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 May 2016
119. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of ensuring that newly qualified teachers recruited post-2011 are paid on the pre-2011 rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12165/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe cost of paying post-2011 entrants at the pre-2011 rates consists of two elements:
1. restoration of qualification allowances to post-1 February 2012 entrant teachers to put that cohort into the same position as teachers who entered teaching between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2012; and
2. restoring all post-1 January 2011 entrants (including the post-1 February 2012 entrant cohort) to the pre-2011 pay scale arrangements.
The estimated cost of restoring qualification allowances to post-1 February 2012 entrant teachers, including the cost of Employers' PRSI, is approximately €16 million per annum. As the Deputy may be aware, teachers employed since 1 February 2012 are paid on an incremental salary scale that has been adjusted to provide some alleviation of the effects of the removal of qualification allowances. This has been taken into account in the figure above.
In addition, the estimated cost of restoring all post-1 January 2011 entrants (including the post-1 February 2012 entrant cohort) to the pre-2011 pay scale arrangements, including the cost of Employers' PRSI, is approximately €27 million per annum.
The figures are based on the assumption that such teachers would qualify for an allowance at the rate applicable to a honours Primary Degree.
New teachers are appointed each year to replace teachers retiring and leaving teaching as well as filling new additional posts that arise in schools. This happens annually and accordingly the cost of restoring qualification allowances would continue to increase on an annual basis.
