Colm Burke (Cork North Central, Fine Gael)
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784. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that part-time tutors working with the ETB were not included under the recent national pay agreement for public sector pay increases; if consideration will be given to including them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1894/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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While the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has policy responsibility for further education, the Department of Education currently retains regulatory responsibility for the ETB sector including public pay policy.

There is no specific public sector grade of “Adult Education Tutor” and therefore there is no specific pay rate or incremental scale for such tutors employed by ETBs. However, it is understood that generally such tutors are paid a particular set hourly rate of pay based on the published unqualified teacher rate. 

As this rate is increased under national pay agreements such increases ultimately pass on to tutors paid that rate. These rates are now €48.71 per hour for pre-2011 entrants and €43.84 per hour for “new entrants” recruited since January 2011. There are also published rates for tutors employed under the “Self-Financing Adult Education Programme” which are outside the national pay agreements and these rates are currently being reviewed. It is also understood that in a very small number of cases, ETBs pay a legacy rate agreed with unions locally.

There is currently a claim from unions that such tutors should be placed on an incremental pay scale aligned to an existing ETB pay scale which would regularise the situation with regards to pay. The Labour Court, while noting the position that existed in terms of requirements under FEMPI legislation and the Public Service Stability Agreement in relation to cost-increasing claims, recommended that the official side identify the scale of cost it was prepared or able to absorb and make an offer.

Officials from both Departments, as well as the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, have been considering this matter and discussions are ongoing.