PAC to examine education allowances with Secretary General at Dept of Education

Chairman of the Committee John McGuinness, TD, said: “The Education sector has the highest overall level of payment of allowances in the public sector, some €600 million out of a total of €1.4 billion.

The biggest costing allowances are paid to teachers in primary and second level. A number of allowances are down for early abolition including the payment of Principals who act as Secretary to the Board of Management, the Gaeltacht Grant and the teaching though Irish.

It appears on face value that the pay structures for teachers are unduly complex. Some of the allowances, for instance, the Principal Allowance and the Management Allowances, are payment for extra duties and are part of core pay.

However, in the case of some allowances, such as the qualification allowances and the supervision and substitution allowances, it could be argued that there is some scope to simplify or change work practices or buy-out the allowance.

Today, we will have an opportunity to examine in detail the various allowances with the Secretary General and question Department officials on how they plan to simplify the structures.

The meeting is the latest by the Public Accounts Committee in the review of public sector allowances and which we hope will make a valuable and positive part in the final decisions made on allowances.”

This meeting starts at 11.30am on Wednesday, 24th October in Committee Room 1, LH 2000.

Committee proceedings can be followed live at: http://bit.ly/24YmPI

Ends

For further information please contact:

Ciaran Brennan,
Houses of the Oireachtas,
Communications Unit,
Leinster House,
Dublin 2

P: +3531 618 3903
M: 086-0496518
F: +3531 618 4551

Committee of Public Accounts

Membership

John McGuinness (Chairman)
Kieran O’Donnell (Vice Chairman)
Paul J Connaughton,
John Deasy,
Paschal Donohoe,
Gerald Nash,
Simon Harris,
Michael McCarthy,
Mary Lou McDonald,
Sean Fleming,
Eoghan Murphy,
Derek Nolan,
Shane Ross