Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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478. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on her proposals to ensure that school caretakers are fairly remunerated for their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16711/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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Caretakers are valued members of our school communities who carry out work vital to the operation of our schools. At present, most primary and post-primary schools receive assistance to provide for caretaker services under ancillary grant funding.

The Department of Education, through a package agreed with Fórsa, (the Trade Union which represents both school caretakers and secretaries), provided for school secretaries 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 0036/2022. This Agreement has ensured fair remuneration to school secretaries for their work. My Department is committed to ensuring that school caretakers will be afforded the opportunity to avail of a similar package and lessons learned from the process leading to the publication of Circular 0036/2022 are now playing a key role in the drafting of proposals to be offered to grant funded school caretakers in the near future.

At present, work is ongoing to review the results of a comprehensive survey which will enable my officials to confirm their understanding of the current working patterns as well as terms and conditions of work for school caretakers. In parallel with this, the Department is 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 were helpful in forming and developing the survey.

Any review of changes to the employment of school caretakers can occur only under through the usual industrial relations processes. The Department, in conjunction with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is working to finalise a position on the matter and expect to be in a position to make a proposal to Fórsa in the near future.

Cathy Bennett (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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479. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on her proposals to ensure that school secretaries are fairly remunerated for their work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16712/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department of Education , through a package agreed with Fórsa, the trade union representing school secretaries, provided for secretaries 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 0036/2022. This agreement has ensured fair remuneration to school secretaries for their work.

As with many agreements, not all aspects of employment terms and conditions may be determined to the satisfaction of the representative parties concerned, and requests for changes in terms and conditions may be raised from time to time. Any changes to the terms and conditions agreed for these secretaries under Circular 0036/2022 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.