Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Secretaries are the heartbeat of schools. They do so much to ensure that schools function properly for staff, parents and teachers. It will shock the public to know that the vast majority of school secretaries are paid on a lower scale than their contemporaries employed by the Department. They have no pension entitlements and do not know where they stand from year to year. They only get paid during term time, with the result that many must go on the dole during school holidays. There is a two-tier system which is completely unfair. The secretaries want dignity, respect and parity of pay and esteem for the work they do. The Minister has made all the right noises, particularly in early October during statements in the House - called for by Fianna Fáil and taken in Private Members' time - on the industrial action by school secretaries. However, he has not followed through. I agree with my colleagues that his offer of 1.5% is an insult to the secretaries and he needs to do far better by them.

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