Lynn Ruane (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 3:

In page 17, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following:“Report on the impact of teacher pay differentials

25.The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the impact of the differential pay scale introduced for new entrants to teaching and shall examine the following—

(a) the social, financial and equality impact of the differential pay scale on new entrant teachers,

(b) the impact of the differential on the recruitment and retention of teachers, and

(c) the impact of the differential on morale and employee satisfaction of teachers employed at both pay scales.”.

This amendment is with regard to the teachers' pay differential report. As the Minister of State is aware, teachers who entered the profession after 2010 have experienced a significant pay differential compared with their longer serving colleagues, despite doing the same work. As part of budget 2011 new entrants were penalised with a 10% reduction in pay, hourly rates and allowances, while all allowances for post-2012 entrants were eventually cut completely.Teachers appointed in 2011 have lost over €26,000 in earnings in addition to the pay cuts already imposed on them in conjunction with their more senior colleagues. None of this will be new information to the Minister. The Government has decided not to remove the pay inequality between teachers in this agreement and while I do not agree with the decision, I recognise that it is being made and that we should move on. I, therefore, propose with this amendment that the Government be fully informed on its decision not to remove the pay differential. I am not saying that the Government has to remove it but I want the Minister and his Department to be fully cognisant of the impact it has had and continues to have on the quality of life of new entrant teachers, staff retention in the sector and intergenerational morale and satisfaction between teachers on both scales. The Government is fully entitled to make fiscal decisions based on the funding available to it. What I propose with this amendment is that the Government prepares a report to fully examine the impact of the decision. Opposition to this amendment would simply indicate to me that the Government is not interested in confronting the tough reality of the impact of the decision not to end the pay differential among our teachers. I, therefore, hope it can be accepted.