Colm Burke (Cork North-Central, Fine Gael)
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432. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department is taking to give retiring school secretaries access to public service pension schemes, and other leave schemes, in view of the fact that teachers and special needs assistants are in receipt of these schemes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2519/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Education has been providing a payroll service for former grant funded school secretaries with effect from 1st September 2023. The provision of this 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) in 2022. The secretaries had previously been paid directly by their schools, as employer, using grant funding form the Department.

The agreement provided for secretaries, who signed up for the package, to be moved to a pay scale aligned with that of Grade III/CO and for some enhanced terms and conditions including improved leave entitlements and maternity provisions. This was implemented under Circular 36/2022.

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.

Any changes to the terms and conditions agreed for these secretaries under Circular 36/2022 can occur only under industrial relations processes and any such proposals would need to be considered in detail by this Department and the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform.

John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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433. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the payment of school secretaries through her Department, and in relation to any further discussions her Department might be having with unions with regard to parity with other public servants and access to the single public service pension scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2527/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Since September 2023, the department is providing a payroll service for previously grant funded Secretaries. This provision 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 did not grant school secretaries with public servant status and therefore there is no pension scheme in place for school secretaries employed under the new terms and conditions of employment as outlined in Circular 0036/2020, as such they do not have access to the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.

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.

The department moved School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis. Pay rates were pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. Secretaries have been included in the national pay agreement and as such will receive pay increases in line with public servants. My department also offered to improve the conditions for School Secretaries with regard to sick leave, annual leave, and maternity provisions.

The department engages with Fórsa and additional terms and conditions have been sought for this cohort of staff. However, any such claims, especially those with additional cost implications, must be carefully considered by the Department, in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform and in line with the existing industrial relations processes.