Réada Cronin (Kildare North, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason some long-term public sector workers in the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board will not have their 32.5-hour contract restored, as agreed under the Haddington Road Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34657/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Earlier this year, Government approved the Report of the Independent Hours Body in relation to the Haddington Road Agreement (HRA) hours worked by certain staff/grades in the public service.

The HRA hours were considered by the parties to the current public service pay agreement, Building Momentum, to be an outstanding matter to be resolved, and in this context, the Independent Hours Body, chaired by Kevin Mulvey was established to examine issues arising from the HRA hours. 

The Independent Body's deliberations were informed by stakeholder engagement; detailed analysis of submissions received; and an assessment of the potential impacts of a reduction in working time across the public service in terms of service delivery and cost to the Exchequer.

The Independent Body recommended that working time is restored to pre-HRA levels for the majority of civil and public servants where working hours were increased in 2013. However, the Body has also recommended that there should be a standardised minimum full-time working week of 35 hours across the public service. Therefore the working hours, from 1 July 2022, will not be less than the level applied prior to the Agreement, or 35 hours, whichever is higher.