Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to issue a directive on implementing pay deductions for members of teachers' unions who rejected working additional hours under the Public Service (Croke Park) Agreement 2010 to 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18719/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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ASTI members voted recently to authorise the ASTI Standing Committee to direct its members to cease fulfilling the Croke Park hours. ASTI's decision to withdraw from these hours is a serious issue that has implications beyond the question of whether these hours are fulfilled or not. As I have stated previously, this decision means that ASTI is withdrawing from the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

These hours represent a real reform with real benefits for parents and children. They facilitate staff meetings and parent teacher meetings without schools closing for half days. They represent 33 extra hours per year, less than one hour per week.

In opting to withdraw from the Lansdowne Road Agreement, ASTI members are also opting to forego a series of benefits and protections, as communicated by my Department previously. These include avoiding an increment freeze, continuation of the alleviation of the FEMPI Act 2013 pay cut for higher earners, the Supervision and Substitution payment of €796 due to be paid on 1 September and protection against compulsory redundancy.

In regard to the increment freeze, the effect of the FEMPI legislation is that the freeze would be applied retrospectively with effect from 1 July 2013. However, my intention is to seek a temporary modification to this from my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, so that the immediate impact of the increment freeze is prospective rather than retrospective.

A further significant consequence of withdrawing from the Lansdowne Road Agreement will be the withdrawal of the benefits introduced for new teachers under the Ward Report, which enable them to gain permanent employment and full hours more quickly than before.

I am aware of union concerns regarding the usage of the Croke Park hours. In response to those concerns, my Department recently agreed with INTO and TUI that the usage would be reviewed, having regard to teacher professional judgement, system and school requirements and experience to date of best practice in the utilisation of the hours.

ASTI have previously declined an open invitation to engage with my Department on this or other issues.

The Lansdowne Road Agreement provides stability, security and financial benefits for teachers. The members of ASTI have exercised their democratic mandate and I respect their right to do so.

However, there are serious consequences for ASTI members in opting out of the Lansdowne Road Agreement. I would prefer that those consequences are avoided. In my view, continuing cooperation with collective agreements offers financial and other benefits for teachers without compromising the legitimate right of their representatives to advance their case when successor agreements are negotiated.

With that in mind, I have again extended an invitation to ASTI to discuss issues of concern and I genuinely believe that it would be in the best interests of ASTI members and the school system as a whole for the union to engage with my Department on this.

I understand that ASTI issued a statement yesterday saying that they will be issuing a directive to their members to withdraw from the Croke Park hours, thereby repudiating the Lansdowne Road Agreement. I am disappointed that the ASTI has chosen to repudiate the agreement. However, I also understand that the union has indicated that they will accept my invitation to talk, and I hope this will give the union and my Department the opportunity for a constructive exchange of views on matters of mutual concern.

My Department is currently putting arrangements in place for implementation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement for teachers represented by unions that have accepted the Agreement. These arrangements are currently being finalised and my Department will publish a Circular in early July to notify teachers and the system in general.