Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

To illustrate further the point Deputy Burton made in respect of her amendment No. 1, it came to my attention yesterday that within the teaching profession, which is a group of 57,000 of the 300,000 workers affected by this Bill, a small enough group work on a temporary basis for perhaps five, ten or 12 hours a week. They are not in the same category as permanent pensionable teachers in the primary or post-primary sector. They work X number of hours or classes per week.

My understanding, which the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, might be able to confirm and which certainly is the view of some of the teaching unions, is that those working in a temporary or even a temporary whole-time capacity are subject to this across-the-board 5% cut. Such teachers gain nothing by way of pension and have no standing within their profession because they work purely on a temporary basis, and yet the full rigours of this 5% cut affects their pay. Will the Minister of State confirm that because it goes exactly to the point Deputy Burton makes in respect of those employed on a part-time basis within the public service?

When it comes to secondary teachers, it is on average 27 years before persons are made permanent. It is less so in the primary sector. One is dealing with a cohort of post-primary teachers, who do not have any standing within their school because they work on a temporary hourly basis, who will be also subject to this 5% cut. In the context of Deputy Burton's interpretation amendment, will the Minister of State confirm that for the information of the House?

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