Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

220. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the amount it would cost to re-instate all allowances to new entry teachers which were abolished in 2012-2013. [21148/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

As a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. A previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011. This decision also required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the applicable salary scale, which in the case of teachers had the effect of reducing their starting pay by a further 4-5%. Later in 2011, the Government placed a cap on the overall level of qualification allowances that could be earned by teachers.

Subsequently in 2012, following the public service-wide review of allowances, the Government withdrew qualification allowances for new teachers altogether. However, the Government partially compensated for this by deciding that new entrant teachers would henceforth commence on a new salary scale which had a starting point higher than the starting point of the old scale.

The estimated cost of reversing the decision to withdraw qualification allowances from post-1 February 2012 entrant teachers is approximately €16 million per annum. This figure is inclusive of teachers on my Department's main payroll, substitute teachers, Employers' PRSI and includes an estimated cost in respect of teachers in Education and Training Board schools.

The Government has committed to establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the Public Service, including entry pay levels. The terms of reference and timescale for the Commission's work are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and would require broad consultation, including engagement with staff representatives as was committed to in the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

A meeting was held on 5 July 2016 between officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and representatives from the INTO and TUI. The two unions made strong representations to both Departments regarding the pay arrangements for newly qualified teachers. Both INTO and TUI have signed-up to the Lansdowne Road Agreement. In this context, it was agreed that management would commit to a series of meetings and engagements with teaching unions operating within the Lansdowne Road Agreement to fully scope out the issues involved regarding pay arrangements for newly qualified teachers. This engagement is to commence this month.