Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 February 2023
292. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the reason that despite WRC negotiations, a Labour Court recommendation and a promise from her Department that it would be making an offer of improved pay and conditions to the unions representing adult education tutors employed by education and training boards by September 2022, no offer has yet been forthcoming; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8032/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department of Education retains regulatory responsibility for the ETB sector, including further education services. Officials have been engaging with colleagues in the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, which has policy responsibility for the further education sector, and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to this matter and discussions are ongoing. There has been previous engagement with Unions regarding these staff and while agreement was reached on some issues, the claim to align tutors to a pay scale of an existing grade in Education and Training Boards remains unresolved. A proposal in response to the Labour Court recommendation is currently under discussion between the Departments with a view to finalising the offer to the Unions as the earliest opportunity.
