Alan Dillon (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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309. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there are irregularities in pay scales (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6489/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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While the Department of Education retains regulatory responsibility for the ETB sector, including further education services, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science now has policy responsibility for the further education sector. A union representing Youthreach Coordinators and Youthreach Resource Persons has submitted a claim in respect of both grades. Officials from both departments have engaged with the union on the matter under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.

Youthreach is a further education and training programme for early school leavers which aims to provide young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate fully in society and progress to further education, training and employment. It provides a range of supports for learners, including work placement, career guidance, personal counselling as well as informal support from staff. It requires staff who are flexible, multi-disciplined and experienced. The length of the programme is longer than the school year, but this is to ensure the continuity in the lives of the young person and provide that ongoing support needed over a longer period.

While relevant qualifications are desirable, no qualifications are specified for staff working in the programme. This is intended to give Education and Training Boards (ETBs) maximum flexibility to recruit staff with the combination of personal qualities and professional skills most likely to meet the often complex needs of participating learners. The roles of the Youthreach Coordinator and Youthreach Resource Person were designed very much with the programmes structure in mind. Template contracts of employment for these roles, as set out in Circular 12/03, were negotiated and agreed by all stakeholders.

The staff in Youthreach include Youthreach Coordinators, Youthreach Resource Persons and teachers. Youthreach Coordinators and Resource Persons have their own terms and conditions and are a separate grade to teachers. Accordingly, they do not require to be registered with the Teaching Council nor does Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act, 2001 apply to Youthreach Centres as they do not fall within the definition of a recognised school.

Teachers are also employed in Youthreach but teacher input is supplementary as required, rather than the core means of delivering the programme. There are ten Youthreach pillars with only one specifically related to teaching. It is a matter for each ETB to decide on the staff required for the programme being delivered in their Youthreach centres.