Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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429. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the one release day per week for teaching principals will only extend to the end of the current school year as it appears to suggest in Circular 50/2021; if so, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54451/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I am keenly aware of the huge contribution made by all Principals in our schools, including teaching principals.

The COVID-19 supports provided under The Roadmap for the Full Return to School in 2020, included specific funding to support Principals who undertake teaching duties in primary schools. This funding provided each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week. Schools have been advised that, in the context of COVID-19, the additional allocation of Principal Release Days will remain in place for the 2021/22 school year and each school with a teaching principal will have 37 Principal Release Days.

Budget 2022 has maintained these Principal Release Days going forward.

Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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430. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the recent 25 cent an hour pay increase for secretaries, caretakers and cleaners was rescinded in a note by the Financial Services Support Unit; if so, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54452/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Circulars were recently issued by my Department in relation to a pay increase for public servants under the national agreement “Building Momentum” which was agreed between the Government and ICTU. Building Momentum includes a 1% increase for public servants from 1 October 2021 and the circulars were issued to inform schools and other public bodies of the new pay rates. Unfortunately one circular was issued indicating that the increase applied to certain staff beyond public servants (including grant-funded staff such as school secretaries, caretakers and cleaners). This was an error as the increase does not apply beyond public servants and when this error came to the attention of the Department the relevant circular was withdrawn. The Department apologises for any confusion or upset caused by this unfortunate error.

My Department has acted in recent years on the pay of grant funded staff. For example it has 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 for secretaries and caretakers.

You may be aware that Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim from that arbitration and officials from my Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, 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 1st September 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The pay scale offered will include the 1% pay increase from 1 October 2021 referred to.

My officials have engaged with Fórsa throughout this process and I look forward to continued progress under the Workplace Relations Commission.