Written answers

Tuesday, 16 May 2023

Department of Education and Skills

Cost of Living Issues

Photo of Peadar TóibínPeadar Tóibín (Meath West, Aontú)
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62. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department has taken to mitigate the impact of inflation on the standard of living of teachers. [22564/23]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is very aware of the impacts of rising prices which are a source of concern for society, and of course for those working in the education sector.

Overall, the government has made €7.1 billion available to support workers and families affected by cost of living pressures this year. These measures include a top up to child benefit, universal credits applied to electricity bills, social welfare increases, and lower rates of excise on fuel.

In addition to these measures, the Government has also provided for further pay increases for public sector staff to October 2023 (totalling 8.5% to 9.5% increases over the entire agreement) including for over 100,000 staff in the school sector as well as retired staff.

In terms of teacher pay specifically, by October, a teacher on point 1 of the scale will earn over €41,000 per annum, an increase of more than €10,000 since 2012. A teacher on point 14 of the scale will earn at least €62,430, and those on the top point will earn at least €77,000.

In addition, as part of the agreement, there is a specific provision in relation to new entrant teacher pay that allows for the skipping of an incremental point. Taken with earlier similar measures, new entrant teachers will move up the salary scale more quickly.

Building Momentum also provided for a sectoral bargaining process to deal with outstanding claims. The teaching unions have decided to use this fund to settle certain claims including the restoration of a Professional Masters in Education allowance to new entrant teachers and increases in principal allowances in the primary sector.

Taken together these measures have provided for significant improvements in the pay of teachers in the last 2 years.

In terms of any further increases or measures around pay, these would need to be considered in the context of the public sector generally and as part of the talks on a successor agreement to Building Momentum, led by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, expected to take place this year.

In summary, in addition to pay increases for teachers, many actions have been taken which have helped to mitigate the impact of inflation for society generally which will also have been of benefit to teachers. I believe it is clear that a lot has been done to help and address the challenges being faced at present and I can assure the Deputy that the Government will continue to monitor the situation.

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