Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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353. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the situation whereby school secretaries are not in a position to apply for paid bereavement leave; if there are plans to address this unacceptable situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42769/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is providing a payroll service for school secretaries which are covered under the terms of Circular 36/2022.

The provision of a payroll service is part of a package agreed with Fórsa, the trade union representing school secretaries, following a series of engagements at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).

While this agreement includes revised terms and conditions related to salary and leave entitlements, it does not accord public servant status to school secretaries who have agreed to accept these revised terms.

The revised leave arrangements which have been included in the agreement are set with reference to statutory leave entitlements. While statutory entitlements such as annual/sick leave etc. are obligations which employers must provide to employees under legislation, other leave types (such as paid bereavement leave) are not underpinned by legislation and are generally negotiated, either at a local level or through collective deliberations.

In the normal course, there are ongoing discussions with the public service unions on matters relating to pay agreements as well as general terms and conditions of employment. Any changes to the terms and conditions agreed can occur only under those processes and any such proposals would need to be considered in detail by this Department, the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (DPENDPR) and the relevant union.

My Department can confirm that FÓRSA have raised this matter i.e. the absence of paid bereavement leave for school secretaries and that the claim is currently going through the appropriate channels.