Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As you are aware my Department is providing a payroll service for school secretaries with effect from 1^stSeptember 2023. There are now over 2,900 secretaries on payroll.

As part of the implementation of the pay agreement for school secretaries, salary arrears have been calculated for all secretaries eligible for the payment. These arrears payments were received through the payroll on the 23^rdNovember 2023 by the majority of secretaries who are currently on my Department’s payroll system.

Work on the next phase of arrears payments is continuing and involves those secretaries who opted in to the new arrangements but who are not currently on my Department’s payroll because of retirement or resignation etc. prior to 01/09/2023. Each of these secretaries (and the schools in which they were last employed) will be contacted over the next week or so, as information is required on when the secretary ceased employment so that any arrears due can be accurately calculated. It had been hoped that this communication would happen during December, but it was decided to postpone it to the New Year when all schools resumed after the Christmas break.

I wish to assure you that once the required information is received, arrears will be issued shortly thereafter.

As these secretaries are no longer on payroll their arrears will be facilitated by payments that will be made directly to the schools in which they last worked. The schools will then disburse the arrears directly to the secretaries involved.

The arrears due to school secretaries is the difference between the new Grade III salary and the grant funded salary for the 21/22 and 22/23 school years. Calculation of the arrears include pay increases that are in line with those given under Building Momentum and, also, increments payable since September 2021 for the calculated Grade III salary.