Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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365. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which revised salary and annual leave entitlements for school caretakers will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9136/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Firstly, let me say that Caretakers are valued members of our school communities who carry out work vital to the operations of our schools. At present, the majority of primary and post-primary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaker services under ancillary grant funding. Under the February 2022 agreement the implementation of revised salary and annual leave entitlements for school secretaries is now fully operational, and lessons learned from that process are now playing a key role in the drafting and implementation of a similar deal to be offered to grant funded school caretakers.

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 the 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. In parallel with this, the Department are actively in communication with Fórsa on this important issue and regular bilateral meetings are occurring. Matters 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 any and all matters relating to pay agreements. Any review of changes to the employment of school cleaners or other pay mechanisms, 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 and Reform, and the relevant unions.