Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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262. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the funds will be made available in Budget 2022 to ensure that school secretaries receive a public sector pension entitlement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45645/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I know from my own experiences that school secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.

The Department previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period.

Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim and officials from the Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. On the 27th of October 2020, under the auspices of the WRC, an understanding was agreed on a pathway to progress the issues. Several key strands have been identified, and a phased approach is being taken to the development of proposals.

Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13^thSeptember, there has been significant progress in this dispute. Subject to agreement on all elements of the claim, the Department has offered to move School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis with an effective date of implementation for these new pay arrangements of 1^stSeptember 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The assimilation of School Secretaries to the CO Grade III pay scale will require further dialogue between the parties and an intensive engagement will take place of over the next two/three weeks to allow this to be finalised.

My Department has also offered to improve the conditions for School Secretaries with regard to sick leave, annual leave and maternity provisions for this cohort of staff. This will take place via direct engagement with the unions in the coming weeks in addition to engagement on other elements of the claim and subject to all elements being agreed.

While there is agreement in principle to take the same approach to the consideration of appropriate pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers there remains a deficit of data on working terms and conditions of such staff. When the final package for secretaries has been agreed and an implementation plan in place for schools and DE, that intensive engagement will begin on regularising the pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers.

I welcome the deferral of the action scheduled for Wednesday 15th September to allow for intensive talks to resume aimed at resolving the claim and agreeing a final package and I encourage all parties to focus on finalising an agreement.

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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263. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the provision of public sector pensions to school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45715/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I know from my own experiences that school secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.

The Department previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period.

Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim and officials from the Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. On the 27th of October 2020, under the auspices of the WRC, an understanding was agreed on a pathway to progress the issues. Several key strands have been identified, and a phased approach is being taken to the development of proposals.

Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13^thSeptember, there has been significant progress in this dispute. Subject to agreement on all elements of the claim, the Department has offered to move School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis with an effective date of implementation for these new pay arrangements of 1^stSeptember 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The assimilation of School Secretaries to the CO Grade III pay scale will require further dialogue between the parties and an intensive engagement will take place of over the next two/three weeks to allow this to be finalised.

My Department has also offered to improve the conditions for School Secretaries with regard to sick leave, annual leave and maternity provisions for this cohort of staff. This will take place via direct engagement with the unions in the coming weeks in addition to engagement on other elements of the claim and subject to all elements being agreed.

While there is agreement in principle to take the same approach to the consideration of appropriate pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers there remains a deficit of data on working terms and conditions of such staff. When the final package for secretaries has been agreed and an implementation plan in place for schools and DE, that intensive engagement will begin on regularising the pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers.

I welcome the deferral of the action scheduled for Wednesday 15th September to allow for intensive talks to resume aimed at resolving the claim and agreeing a final package and I encourage all parties to focus on finalising an agreement.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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264. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way rates of pay are set for job-sharing SNAs and teachers who substitute in their own schools; the reason there is disparity in the way that members of staff are paid and who is allowed claim expenses; her plans to address this disparity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45814/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The provisions related to the Job Sharing Scheme for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are outlined in my Department's Circular Letter 41/2014 titled ‘Job Sharing Scheme for Special Needs Assistants in Recognised Primary and Post-Primary Schools’ and for teachers is contained in Chapter 8 of my Department’s Circular Letter Circular 0054/2019 titled ‘Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers Employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools’. In accordance with these circulars, agreed with school management bodies and the relevant trade unions, teachers and SNAs were not permitted to engage in substitute teaching whilst job sharing.

In response to issues raised in relation to supply in schools and the need to minimise movement between schools during the Covid-19 pandemic the restrictions imposed in these circulars have been temporarily suspended for the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 school years allowing teachers and SNAs to work in a substitute capacity on the days that they are not scheduled to work. This was communicated to the relevant school authorities in Information Notes TC 0016/2021 (Teachers) and 0012/2021 (SNAs), which were agreed with school management bodies and the relevant trade unions.

Paragraph 2 of these circulars sets out the pay arrangements. Job sharing SNAs employed in a substitute capacity will be paid the appropriate substitute daily rate of pay with such substitute work being pensionable and counting towards superannuation. Job sharing teachers employed in a substitute capacity will be paid the personal rate of pay (including personal allowances) with such substitute work also being pensionable and counting towards superannuation.