Dáil debates

Thursday, 8 October 2020

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions

 

12:20 pm

Photo of Seán CanneySeán Canney (Galway East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The last few questions have been about Covid but I wish to discuss the situation of school secretaries, who did enormous work over the past six months to ensure the reopening of our national and secondary schools, which is one of the best achievements during Covid so far. Over 1,000 school secretaries are not being treated equally in their pay and conditions of employment. Will the Government enter into meaningful discussions in the Labour Court, as agreed by the former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Joe McHugh, in the House last October? That was 12 months ago. Over 1,000 school secretaries are being treated unequally as they are not getting paid other than through an annualised grant. They are working side by side with secretaries in other schools in their towns and villages who are getting their full pay and being treated as public servants with holiday pay and entitlements. We have relied on school secretaries to make sure that schools and their management have some resources in place. Many of these school secretaries worked over the summer months without pay to make sure the schools reopened. I understand that discussions have taken place but they have not been meaningful. Will the Government ensure fair treatment and parity of esteem for those school secretaries? They are not very happy that their issue has been kicked down the road and are contemplating industrial action. It would be an indictment of all of us if school secretaries had to go out on strike after all they have done. We have talked about front-line workers' bravery. I believe school secretaries are front-line workers as well.

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