Dáil debates

Thursday, 27 October 2016

11:35 am

Photo of Mary Lou McDonaldMary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I too wish to raise the fact that this morning 507 secondary schools, representing 70% of schools, are closed throughout the State. That is hardly to be chalked down as a success on the part of this Administration. Tens of thousands of pupils and their families are profoundly affected by this action, my own family included. The schedules and routines of parents and children are up in the air and, of course, our students are missing a valuable day's classwork. This also affects thousands of teachers who, I have no doubt, would prefer to be in their classrooms than on a picket line today. However, they are undertaking this action as a matter of last resort and because of legitimate concerns about their pay and conditions. These concerns are justifiably shared throughout the public sector following seven years of pay cuts but the teaching profession is particularly impacted because it is one of the areas in which a large number of new recruits had to be employed over the past number of years to cater for demographics.

Today is just the first of seven planned days of strike action and there are concerns that schools will be unable to open at all following the mid-term break because of withdrawal by the ASTI from supervision and substitution duties. Such a prospect is a sign that the Government is failing to address the increasing number of industrial disputes. In fact, it raises a question about its very capacity to deal with these issues. What those in the public sector want, and what they deserve, is the fair and timely unwinding of FEMPI cuts and pay restoration. All of us know that cannot be achieved overnight but, clearly, it can be timelined through a new pay agreement that offers a road map to full pay restoration. Meaningful dialogue is required now, which lays out a clear, sensible path to full pay restoration. The demands of teachers, and, indeed, of An Garda Síochána for that matter, are not insurmountable. The restoration of allowances for all post-2011 entrants would go a long way to satisfying their concerns and this issue of pay equality is crucial - equal pay for work of equal value. In other words, equal pay for post-2011 recruits needs to be put in place. I am increasingly concerned and bewildered at the fact that the Government cannot make a simple commitment to equal pay for work of equal value. I invite the Tánaiste to do so.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.