Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

13. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers employed in the primary and post-primary sector; the number of teachers on part-time contracts; and her plans to address the pay disparity for newly qualified teachers. [43698/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There are currently 34,896 primary teachers employed in either a permanent, fixed term , Contract of Indefinite Duration or Regular -Part-Time capacity in recognised primary schools paid on my Department payrolls. The corresponding figure for post primary teachers employed in Voluntary Secondary and Community / Comprehensive schools is 18,859.These figures include those who are job sharing.

There are 6,357 teachers paid on my Department payrolls with Contracts of Indefinite Duration in post primary schools and 315 at Primary.

There are 2,361 staff who have less than full contracted hours in post primary schools and 496 in primary with less than full time hours.

As the Deputy will be aware, I am currently implementing in full the recommendations of the Expert Group on Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employment in Teaching, which should see a significant improvement to the job security and stability of employment for existing and future young teachers.

The Haddington Road Agreement took steps to partially address the salary imbalance between new and longer-serving teachers. This process has continued under the Lansdowne Road Agreement which has begun the process of restoring the reductions to public service pay which were implemented in response to the financial crisis.

We look forward to seeing the further restoration of public service pay levels as our economy continues to recover strongly.