Margaret Murphy O'Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

School secretaries are the engine room of any school. They keep things working, ticking over and gelling together. They epitomise the jack of all trades except that they are also masters of all trades. I have had many dealings with school secretaries over the years at my son's schools and in schools across west Cork where I worked. They really keep the show on the road and it is so unfair that they are paid differently depending on who employs them. It is very hard on the secretaries who are not paid as well as those in other schools or, indeed, in their own school.

I ask the Minister to look at this. I acknowledge every school secretary and caretaker for the trojan work they do and I thank them for it.

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