Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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812. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made in issuing adult educators with public service contracts (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54461/22]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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A range of industrial relations issues regarding adult education tutors have been under discussion for a number of years and progress has been made in resolving key issues, including the introduction of a consistent formula for awarding Contracts of Indefinite Duration across ETBs in 2017 and the provision of access to leave schemes, paid leave and access to the appropriate public sector pension scheme in 2019.

The claim to align adult education tutors to a pay scale of an existing grade in ETBs remains unresolved. The Labour Court recommended in 2020 that the Department identify the scale of cost it was prepared or able to absorb and make an offer within those parameters given the constraints applying under FEMPI legislation and the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) in relation to cost-increasing claims.

My officials have been engaging with colleagues in the Department of Education, which has regulatory responsibility for the ETB Sector, and have prepared a joint proposal which is currently under consideration by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.  My officials have met with the Unions on a regular basis on this matter and they have also shared details of the proposal with the TUI and SIPTU representatives.