Tony McLoughlin (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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521. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to support and allow non-union teachers to access to the benefits of the Lansdowne Road agreement in view of the fact that all non-union teachers cannot sign the agreement; if he will consider this proposal in view of the new pay deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27684/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The Lansdowne Road Agreement as set out in Section 2 of Circular 0045/2016 applied to teachers employed in Education and Training Board schools and centres (except for Designated Community Colleges).  The agreement also applied to teachers employed in Designated Community Colleges, Community and Comprehensive Schools and Voluntary Secondary Schools who are TUI members. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2013 and 2015 as set out in Section 3 of the Circular were applied to all other teachers employed in such schools.

As is the norm with public service collective agreements, the Lansdowne Road Agreement was negotiated with trade unions which are recognised as representing staff in the public service (including teachers). It is normal practice in the public service that the decision of the trade union recognised as holding representative rights for a particular grade or sector will determine the position for all relevant staff in that grade/sector. This context does not allow for acceptance or rejection of collective agreements by staff on an individual basis.

However, I welcome the recent decision taken by the special convention of ASTI members to immediately suspend all industrial action relating to the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) and Junior Certificate reform.

As a result of the suspension of industrial action by ASTI members, a number of direct financial advantages will apply to all teachers (both ASTI members and those teachers who are not members of a trade union) and who were not previously covered by the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA).  The measures to take effect from the date of the suspension of industrial action include:

- Pay improvements for post 2012 entrant teachers through the immediate payment of the first phase new salary scales (Second phase January 2018);

- An immediate lifting on the freeze on the payment of increments;

- Pay increase for all teachers through the addition of the first moiety (€796) of the S&S allowance to the teacher pay scale (Second moiety due September 2017);

- Pay increase of €1,000 through the bringing forward of the 1 September pay increase;

- An improvement in pay scales by the restoration of the alleviation of the FEMPI Act pay reductions for higher earners;

- An improvement in pay scales through the payment of the first phase of the reversal of the FEMPI Act pay reductions for higher earners (Second phase in 2018).

Further to the above, teachers who were not previously covered by the LRA will also be covered by the terms of the Ward circular from the date of the suspension of industrial action, including the reduced qualifying period for a CID and the removal of the career break and secondment categories of objective grounds.  In addition to earlier permanency, the measures to take effect include a revised sequence for the filling of posts to enable fixed-term and part-time teachers to gain permanent, full-time jobs more quickly and easier than before.

Other benefits which will be available to teachers not previously covered by the LRA include:

- Availability of promotion posts announced in budget 2017 based on arrangements to be set out in a new Department Circular;

- S&S opt-out option for teachers with a minimum of 15 years’ service;

- S&S opt-in option for teachers who had previously opted out;

- An increase in the quantum of Croke Park hours which can be worked on other than whole-school basis;

- A review of the usage of the Croke Park hours;

- Access to redeployment;

- Provision of professional time associated with the implementation of the Junior Cycle.

Steps are now being taken by my officials to give effect to the above measures.  The continuing restoration of the financial and other benefits are contingent on the continuing application of the suspension of all industrial action.  In the event that the suspension of industrial action by members of the ASTI is not sustained, the restoration measures above would stand to be reversed.