Léim ar aghaidh chuig an bpríomhábhar
Gnáthamharc

English Language Training Organisations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 July 2020

Tuesday, 28 July 2020

Ceisteanna (470)

John Lahart

Ceist:

470. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure that the pay and conditions of those involved in international English language education is commensurate with the return to the economy which runs into hundreds of millions of euro annually. [18397/20]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The vast majority of English language providers are privately owned and operated. As a consequence, issues relating to the terms and conditions of the staff and teachers in this sector are a matter for their employers.

As the Deputy will be aware, as part to the initial Covid-19 response, the Government introduced a number of measures to support businesses. Among these measures is the temporary wages subsidy scheme which has facilitated employers to keep employees on their payroll through the Covid-19 pandemic in order to ensure this link is retained as businesses reopen. As recently announced as part of the July Jobs Stimulus, this measure will be continued until the end of August 2020 when it will be succeeded by a new Employment Wage Support Scheme. This new scheme will operate until April 2021 and will provide employers and new firms in sectors impacted by COVID-19 whose turnover has fallen 30% with a flat-rate subsidy of up to €203 per week per employee, including for seasonal staff and new employees.

Furthermore, a Joint Labour Committee (JLC) has been established for the English language education sector under the remit of the Labour Court. JLCs provide a wage-setting mechanism that can determine terms and conditions of employment, as well as setting minimum rates of pay for workers in certain sectors. In the sectors represented, the terms and conditions may be given effect in law by means of Employment Regulation Orders made under the Industrial Relations Acts. The JLC for the English language education sector was established by Ministerial Order in February of this year and a chairperson from the Labour Court has been appointed to this Committee. I would encourage bodies representing both employers and employees in this sector to engage with this JLC process and to comprehensively address all aspects of the working conditions and pay of employees in English language schools.

Barr
Roinn