Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

52. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to reach an agreement with the teachers' unions in respect of two-tier pay scales; his views as to whether this issue is significantly undermining morale within the profession; the direction he has given his officials in respect of unions that engage in industrial action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40646/17]

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The question concerns the two-tier pay scales in operation for teachers at present, the fact that all three teacher unions have now rejected the pay agreement, the implications of this for future working with the teachers' unions and what the Minister intends to do to address this pressing issue.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I have used this to negotiate substantial improvements in pay for new teachers. The agreement reached in September last year will see pay rises of between 15% and 22% between €4,600 and €6,700 for new entrant teachers.  The agreements also provide for earlier permanency for younger teachers, new promotion opportunities and new flexibilities in working hours.

The agreements have restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver full equality at later points in the scale. This is substantial progress and strikes an equitable balance with other claims for funding on my Department, particularly needs such as enhanced services for children with special educational needs, disadvantaged schools, growing schools and so on.

In education there is a well-established increment system, and teachers are not paid equally. For example, the pay scale for teachers appointed prior to 2011 ranges from €33,800 to €61,950 depending on the date on which the individual began teaching. Part of the negotiation to date has secured a convergence of the scales of recruits at different periods.

I accept that the teacher unions have outstanding pay demands and that the new entrant deal does not travel the full distance they set out to achieve. However, any further negotiation on new entrant pay cannot focus on just one sector. The recently concluded Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 includes a provision regarding new entrants which states that an examination of the remaining salary scale issues in respect of post-January 2011 recruits at entry grades covered by parties to the agreement will be undertaken within 12 months of the commencement of the agreement. An initial meeting on new entrant pay under this process took place on 12 October 2017.

The Government also supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.

The new Public Service Stability Agreement would also bring undoubted benefits to young teachers. In January 2018 a newly qualified teacher straight out of college will earn €35,958. In October 2020 a newly qualified teacher straight out of college will earn €37,692. This is a very competitive graduate salary.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is important not to confuse this issue with the whole question of incremental pay scales. We are talking about a cohort of teachers who are starting on a lower salary than their colleagues started on, which means that, over the course of their teaching career, they will be substantially penalised as a result. There is a significant sense that younger teachers who have come in are being less favourably treated and this is simply not fair. There is also a strong sense on the part of members of teacher unions that they cannot continue to tolerate a situation where they are working alongside younger teachers who are very clearly being discriminated against. There is now a strong sense of solidarity among the teaching profession and that sense is not going to change. There is a strong sense that people have been badly treated and left behind, which is having a very negative impact on morale. The Minister needs to take action on this earlier than he has set out.

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To repeat what I said in my reply, the public service pay agreement has embraced this issue and it has put in place a process which has not been left for 12 months, as was provided for in the agreement, because the process has already started on 12 October 2017. This issue is being taken seriously. It is worth reflecting on how this came about. Back in the midst of the crisis, there was an agreement to continue recruiting teachers at a time when the State was under huge financial pressure. The deal that then emerged was to recruit at lower pay. As the Deputy rightly said, that has given rise to anomalies. Many teachers were recruited in those difficult years who are on those lower scales but we have used the flexibility of the agreement to negotiate substantial improvements for them and a process is now in place. When it came to the recent agreements, where some €900 million was on the table to be negotiated as a settlement with the public service unions, the negotiations resulted in an agreement that did not address this particular way immediately but, instead, put this process together. That was openly negotiated between the two parties. I appreciate the teacher unions are not happy with the outcome but we have a process in place and I hope the unions will engage actively with it because in time, it hopefully will make progress.

Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

It is causing a severe problem with recruitment.