Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

377. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will fully reinstate the 'teaching through Irish’ allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44108/24]

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

The Department, along with other Departments across the public service, implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments (September 2012) by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

This meant that many allowances were no longer payable to “new entrant” Teachers. Among the allowances that had sanction for payment to new beneficiaries removed was the Teaching through Irish Allowance and the Gaeltacht Allowance.

In terms of the possible reintroduction of any allowance, additional amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions.

Over the course of recent collective agreements amendments have been agreed which have seen the value of certain allowances previously withdrawn being integrated into “new entrant” teacher pay. Examples are the equivalent of an honours primary degree allowance and the PME allowance for post-primary teachers.

Any further amendments to alter the allowances paid to teachers, whether “new entrant” or not, give rise to significant cost issues and should, as mentioned, be part of engagement and collective agreements between Unions and Government. Any review of the eligibility criteria for qualification allowances can occur only under that process.