Pauline O'Reilly (Green Party) | Oireachtas source

I really wish I was not in the Chamber this morning raising this issue. It is a bit ridiculous at this stage. I have stood on the picket lines with schools secretaries. They are the beating heart of schools. They found it really difficult to leave their workplace and go out on the picket lines. They were delighted that they reached a pay deal with the support of Fórsa and yet here we are, a year later, and they still have not seen a penny. I spoke to a school secretary this morning who said the secretaries were watching increases for other people in their schools coming across their desks while they are getting nothing. I really want an answer this morning. When are school secretaries going to see the pay? When are they going to see the back pay? Do they have security this summer that they are not going to be left without pay for the entire summer again? It would be disgraceful if we were to come back and say that these school secretaries, who are key members of our school's staff, are going to have to wait until September with no job security over the summer months. Not only that, but pensions for school secretaries were not included in the pay deal. This morning I spoke to a school secretary who has been employed for 23 years and has no pension coming to her. When we look at the amount of money coming into the State, is it any wonder that schools are struggling when it comes to leadership and people taking up positions if we are treating the most important members of our staff in the education system in this way? It is over to the Minister at this stage. I hope that this is the end and not the start of the conversation. We were all on picket lines coming up to the last general election. It is nearly three years later and we have not seen a penny.