Catherine Callaghan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I urge the Government to support calls for pension parity in our schools. The current lack of parity is adversely affecting our school secretaries and caretakers. All parents and caregivers know the vital role our school secretaries play in schools.

In the school I worked in as a SNA, our secretary is known by pupils and staff alike as Super Sue because she, like all school secretaries I know, including Nuala and Mary as well as Bernie in Kildavin are at the centre of the smooth running of a school. Likewise, caretakers like Johnny, Pat and Dick in Ballon, keep our school grounds and buildings safe and secure and are often the unseen workers in schools, as the nature of their work is often behind the scenes, but they are also critical members of school staff and deserve to be remunerated as such. Our schools would not function without secretaries and caretakers. Will the Tánaiste please support the calls from schools to give pension parity to school secretaries and school caretakers?

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