Tom Fleming (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 237: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will immediately reverse the decision to cut and suspend all teachers' allowances, including qualification allowances for new entrants to the teaching profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11123/12]

Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 244: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the review of teacher qualification allowances, supervision, substitution and other post of responsibility allowances will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11231/12]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he proposes to reverse the decision not to pay allowances to new entrants to the teaching profession, which would create an unfair and unequal system in which certain teaching staff are paid up to 30% more than new entrants; the reason graduates completing their studies in May 2012 will have to comply with the Croke Park agreement and the parameters thereof in terms of the 33 extra hours and so on, while their remuneration has not been protected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11425/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 237, 244 and 253 together.

In his address to Dáil Éireann on December 5th 2011 the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced that Public Service bodies will have to achieve a reduction of 5% in the cost of allowances and premium payments in 2012. In order to achieve the necessary reduction, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is conducting a review of allowances and premium payments across the Public Service. Pending the outcome of this review, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has advised my Department that delegated sanction for the payment of allowances to new beneficiaries is withdrawn with effect from 1st February 2012. The only exception to the prohibition on the awarding of new allowances is Principal and Deputy Principal Allowances. I understand that the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will advise of the outcome of the review shortly. I am not in a position to comment further in relation to teacher allowances until then.

The Public Service Agreement 2010 - 2014 provides that there will be no reductions in the pay rates of existing public servants. All teachers who were eligible to hold allowances prior to 1 February 2012 continue to be eligible for these allowances. The provisions of the Public Service Agreement, including the delivery of the additional hours, form part of the terms and conditions of a teacher's contract of employment and as such it is expected that all teachers will continue to work in accordance with these provisions.