Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I and my party have repeatedly called on the Minister to make a full public statement on his and the Department's commitment to achieving equality of payscales and equality of pay for newly qualified teachers. While this is an issue across the public sector the number of public servants affected by this is disproportionately large in the Minister's Department and among teachers. This is why the Minister for Education and Skills needs to be at the vanguard of this, making the case at the Cabinet table and making the case publicly for our newly qualified teachers. This in itself will be a signal of seriousness of intent and hope for newly qualified teachers that they can get to a situation where their payscales are equal. It would also send out a strong message to the ASTI. There would be no excuse for rejection of what is on the table if the Minister was to make these types of statements. He has not done this and it has not helped the situation. He could do it in the way Fianna Fáil has done it, and perhaps offer a pathway to full equality and state this is when it can happen, that it will take time and that we have the public sector pay commission. Giving this indication as to how it will happen would mean a lot in terms of teacher morale.

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