Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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515. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason school secretaries do not have an entitlement to a Public Service pension; if extending such an entitlement to this cohort is being considered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46526/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department is providing a payroll service for school secretaries with effect from 1st September 2023. 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) and also includes revised terms and conditions for secretaries. The Agreement however, outlined within Circular 0036/2020 which has provided for revised salary and annual leave entitlements, did not grant school secretaries with public servant status.

Each school remains the employer of school secretaries and it is their obligation to provide access to a PRSA scheme for employees. For secretaries who are paid through the Department-administered payroll, a facility is now being offered to join a PRSA scheme administered by Cornmarket with contributions being deducted at source. Should secretaries wish to avail of this option, they can contact Cornmarket directly – the participation of individuals in any scheme is a matter between the individual and the service provider.

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 under 0036/2022 can occur only under those processes and any such proposals would need to be considered in detail by the Department, the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and the relevant unions.