Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

418. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that ETB tutors are given pension entitlements. [8613/23]

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

The 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) employ Tutors to deliver various Adult, Community and Further Education programmes. While the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science has been established with policy responsibility for further education and training, my Department retains regulatory responsibility for the ETB Sector.

Significant progress has been made in resolving key elements of industrial relations issues raised on behalf of tutors. This includes the issuing in 2017, of a Circular in relation to an agreement to a consistent formula or method of awarding Contracts of Indefinite Duration (CIDs) across ETBs as well as agreement in November 2019, in respect of access to leave schemes, paid leave and access to the appropriate public sector pension scheme.

My Department informed ETBs at that time that tutors should be given membership of the appropriate public sector pension scheme, unless:

a.They are already a member of a public service pension scheme;

b.Their tuition services are provided on self-financing programmes; or

c.They have been contracted to the ETB since a date prior to 2008 and, having previously been offered access to a Public Service Pension Scheme, they declined that offer.