Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

165. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when he intends on implementing the Labour Court recommendation of March 2020 to regularise the contracts of adult education tutors and establish a salary scale given that many AETs are facing into yet another summer of signing on for social welfare; if he will recognise prior service; if he will resolve the outstanding issues relating to contracts of indefinite duration; if he will raise post-2011 entrants' pay to parity with their colleagues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31343/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

There has been a range of industrial relations issues pertaining to adult education tutors that have been under discussion for several years under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills preceding the establishment of my Department. 

Notwithstanding progress made on some elements, the claim to align tutors to a pay scale of an existing grade in Education and Training Boards (ETBs), as referred to in the March 2020 Labour Court recommendation, currently remains unresolved. This recommendation was made in March 2020 at the onset of the pandemic and consequently the Department's ability and capacity to develop a full response and engage on the issue was constrained by pressure of work arising from the public health emergency and the establishment of the Department during that period at which time responsibility for the claim transferred.

The Sectoral Bargaining Fund under Building Momentum is to deal with outstanding issues within the terms of the Fund and within the Exchequer funding limit in place. As the Department of Education leads negotiations for the ETB sector, my Department is liaising with it and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on this matter. 

Officials from my Department have met with union representatives. It has been agreed that potential resolutions should be examined as quickly as possible. The Department has now established a Working Group to undertake this work and a further meeting will take place on Thursday 30th June. It is the intention to have a proposal at this stage with a view to resolving this issue.