Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 1279: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will establish an interim standard national rate of pay for school secretaries that would apply until such time as negotiations with the School Secretaries Forum conclude; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34541/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In the context of the Towards 2016 Review and Transitional Agreement in 2008, it was agreed that the relevant parties would enter into discussions regarding the terms and conditions of both school secretaries and caretakers.

Following ratification of the Transitional Agreement by the Unions in November 2008, a forum was set up in December 2008 under whose auspices these discussions could be furthered. The forum is jointly chaired by my Department and the Department of Finance, and also comprises of the relevant School Management Bodies, and the relevant Unions (IMPACT and SIPTU).

As a first step, the forum decided to establish the factual position regarding the terms and conditions of employment of school secretaries and caretakers by conducting a comprehensive survey of schools. This survey was then developed by my Department, in consultation with the other members of the forum. As there are established terms and conditions for secretaries and caretakers employed in the Community & Comprehensive sector and the VEC sector, it was decided that the survey should only cover the primary and voluntary post-primary sectors.

This survey was then issued to all relevant schools on Monday, 20 April 2009. The results of the survey, once available, will inform the deliberations of the forum.

As the discussions of the forum are currently in progress it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comment at this time.