Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 31 March 2021
644. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers that are missing out on an additional salary allowance due to obtaining a pass grade in their primary degree; the percentage of those that have an honours postgraduate qualification despite the grade in their base degree; and the measures that will be taken to address the differential pay scales they are on compared to their teaching peers (details supplied). [17548/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments which was completed in September 2012 by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Additional amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, including pay and allowances, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions.
A Sectoral Bargaining Fund is established under the new national pay agreement, Building Momentum, to deal with outstanding adjudications, commitments, recommendations, awards and claims within the Exchequer funding limit in place. Any review of the eligibility criteria for qualification allowances can occur only under that process and any such proposals would need to be considered in detail by my Department and the relevant unions.
The numbers of individuals on my Department’s Primary payroll who are in receipt of pass level allowances as follows:
- Higher Diploma in Education: 396 Primary teachers
- Primary Degree: 4,859 Primary teachers
- Master’s Degree: 79 Primary teachers
My Department does not hold information in relation to those that have an honours postgraduate qualification despite the grade in their base degree.
The overall cost of amending the eligibility criteria for pass qualification allowances is anticipated to be in the region of €17.9 million for Primary teachers and €13.9 million for Post-Primary teachers per annum in year one. These costs relate to teachers on my Department’s payroll and does not include costs associated with other payrolls such as the ETB payrolls.
