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

As well as being rejected by the teachers’ unions individually.

The Minister failed to outline when this process will start. He said there were no deadlines as to its conclusion but he did not say when it will start. In a public press statement, the INTO is under the impression this will start soon. The agreement provides it will start in 12 months. Will the Minister say here when this process to discuss this issue will start? Teachers are entitled to know. They are working under sometimes difficult conditions and low morale.

Is the Minister at least prepared to concede that the Government supports the principle of equal pay scales for people, in this case teachers, who do the same job? Does he agree with his colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Mitchell O'Connor, or does he agree with his anonymous colleagues who said that her intervention was deeply unhelpful? The Minister must take a side. Whose side is he on? Is he on the side of what is just, fair and provided for in the agreement and is he prepared to set out when the process in that agreement will start?

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