Arthur Morgan (Louth, Sinn Fein)

I seek the adjournment of the Dáil under Standing Order 32 to discuss an issue of national importance, namely, the unacceptable situation whereby school secretaries and caretakers are receiving disparate rates of pay — some would say they are desperate rates of pay; the fact that these workers, if they are not covered by the Department of Education and Science's 78-79 scheme, are, in many cases, paid below the minimum wage and also the anomaly that has developed, which makes voluntary school boards the employers of these workers under the 1990 PESP scheme and which sees Department funds allocated for the procurement of such staff used for much needed school equipment as a result of funding shortages; and the need for the Department of Education and Science to meet, as a matter of urgency, with IMPACT and SIPTU to discuss the problems faced by the workers to whom I refer and to provide a solution, once and for all.

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