Ms Tara Carton:

I think the first question was about the recent announcement by the Minister of the additional posts in community and comprehensive and ETB schools and how those staff would be paid. These are not the type of grant-funded posts we have been discussing. These posts in the community and comprehensive schools are paid for by the Department and the ETB covers the pay in the posts in its schools. Effectively, there is no change in pay arrangements; it is simply additional support. Senator Byrne asked a similar question. There is no salary increase involved. It is simply additional posts.

In terms of the meeting with Fórsa, we have agreed to meet to begin those discussions that it has sought. A date has not been arranged at this point but we will do so shortly. Deputy O'Sullivan asked about those talks and their potential outcome. We are about to embark on those so I cannot comment on where they may go but we will engage with Fórsa on its demands or asks.

The costs are based on the survey done in 2009. Our current estimate of the cost of extending public service salary scales to the grant-funded staff that we have been talking about is €7 million per annum. If they were given public service pension scheme membership that is an additional cost we estimate at €36 million per year. That is on top of the cost of the arbitration that was already agreed. The cost of that was €22.5 million but that is already in the system.

On additional resources or staffing, that is a matter for the Government. It is not something I can comment on today.

Regarding the oversight of staff who are not paid by the Department but paid directly by the school, with the board of management as the employer the Department does not have any role in setting terms and conditions or general pay in terms of those staff. Those are matters for the board.