Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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241. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a teacher (details supplied) will receive recognition for their qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23718/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In September 2022 unions representing post-primary teachers chose to use the Building Momentum Sectoral Bargaining Fund to restore the value of an allowance previously withdrawn from new entrant post-primary teachers.

Sectoral bargaining provides for the establishment of a sectoral fund amounting to 1 per cent of basic pay, of which some or all may be used to resolve outstanding issues, with a payment date of 1 February 2022.

The unions opted to use part of the fund for the restoration of the Professional Master of Education (PME)/Higher Diploma in Education Allowance (H. Dip in Ed) with effect from 1 February 2022. This allowance had been withdrawn from newly appointed teachers following the outcome of a public service wide review of allowances and premium payments in 2013.

The restoration was implemented by increasing the new entrant salary scale for post-primary teachers to include the value of the Honours H.Dip in Education Allowance (€1,314) on each point of the scale. The increase will be backdated to 1 February 2022.

There are a small number of teachers, who are on a salary scale other than the new entrant scale, who would also be eligible for restoration but will receive it as an allowance. Such teachers will be able to apply for the allowance once a circular issues from the Department setting out the process. This is being finalised and is expected to issue in the near future.