Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 150: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the progress that her Department has made since last summer on improving the employment structures for primary school secretaries especially in respect of entitlements, security on contract and pension provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37365/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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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. Accordingly, a forum was set up with the aim of establishing the position in schools regarding the terms and conditions of employment of school secretaries and caretakers. The forum is jointly chaired by my Department and the Department of Finance and includes the relevant management bodies and the unions involved (SIPTU and IMPACT).

In order to establish the factual position of secretaries and caretakers, a survey, developed in conjunction with the school management bodies and the relevant unions, was carried out in all schools. The results of the survey will feed into the work 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.