Written answers

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Department of Education and Skills

School Staff

Photo of Paul MurphyPaul Murphy (Dublin South West, Solidarity)
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600. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to guarantee an immediate implementation of pensions for school secretaries and caretakers (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1271/25]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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School secretaries are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware and appreciative of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.

As you are aware, secretaries were offered new terms and conditions of employment under Circular 36/2022 for improved salary and leave entitlements following a WRC agreement. The Agreement however did not grant school secretaries with public servant status and therefore this cohort does not have access to the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.

The 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.

The Department is committed to ensuring that school caretakes will be afforded the opportunity to avail a similar package offered to school secretaries of revised salary and annual leave entitlements in the near future.

At present, work is ongoing to review the results of a compressive survey which will enable my officials to confirm their understanding of the current working patters as well as terms and conditions of work for school caretakers, and once schools have returned their replies, the Department will then be in a position to progress this claim further.

The Department are actively in communication with Fórsa on this important issue and regular bilateral meetings are occurring. Matter discussed have contributed to a clearer understanding of the differences in existing terms and conditions of caretakers to secretaries and have been helpful in forming and developing the survey.

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.

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