John Brady (Wicklow, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I stood with the secretaries of a number of schools in Wicklow, including St. Cronan's national school in Bray, and St. Brigid's and St. Kevin's national schools in Greystones. The regard in which the secretaries are held was evident because the parents, pupils and teachers stood with them in solidarity and support. They know the role the secretaries provide in their schools. They are the glue that holds the fabric of our education system together. Many words about school secretaries being critical have echoed across the Chamber but unfortunately that sentiment will not get us to where we want to be. All of the compliments are deserved but they are not reflected in the way school secretaries are treated. Secretaries do not have access to holiday pay or sick pay. They have no job security and no way to progress on any sort of pay scale. They have no access to an occupational pension in retirement. For all of the praise from Government, what do secretaries have to show for it? They have little or nothing. For far too long, school secretaries have been exploited. I do not use that word lightly but this exploitation by successive Governments needs to end.

The actions taken by the Government on this issue to date have not been genuine. I do not say that lightly either. The recent survey by the Department of Education and Skills was announced over the summer and the documents were sent to the schools just as they were returning for the new term after the summer, which is the busiest time of year. The Department did this knowing full well that this would delay action being taken in budget 2020. Sinn Féin has made provision in our alternative budget to address this issue. It is interesting and welcome to hear Fianna Fáil Deputies speak so highly of school secretaries. We know the arrangement in this House is that Fianna Fáil is propping up Fine Gael in government. The party will have a critical role in the formation of the budget to be delivered next week. I hope it will follow through on the words and sentiments its Deputies expressed in this Chamber and ensure the discrimination against school secretaries is corrected in the budget next week.

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