Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context

443. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether there are any plans to review the current teacher pay scale to ensure that the valuable teaching experience gained abroad is duly recognised and factored into the remuneration framework. [25421/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Pay and workplace reform measures for public servants have been governed by a framework of public service pay agreements for a number of years with the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026 in place until June 2026.

The value of public pay deals to the Government and the taxpayer is ensuring that pay costs are managed in a sustainable and orderly way and in a climate of industrial peace. By and large public pay agreements have delivered on these objectives over the last 12 years having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.

The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start and new entrant pay has been gradually restored over the years. The previous agreement, Building Momentum provided for increases of 8.5% to 9.5% over the entire agreement, with lower paid workers receiving higher percentage increases. There is also a specific provision in relation to new entrant teacher pay which allows for the skipping of Point 12 of the pay scale, to further progress their move up the pay scale more quickly.

The current PSA 2024 - 2026, provides for further baseline increases of 9.25% for over 100,000 staff in the school sector, again with lower paid workers receiving higher percentage increases. In terms of teacher pay specifically, by the end of this agreement, these increases would increase the pay of a teacher on the top point to around €85,000 per annum. The starting pay for a teacher will be around €46,000 per annum, compared to just over €30,000 in 2012. The PSA also provides for a local bargaining process to deal with outstanding adjudications, commitments, recommendations, awards and claims.

In relation to incremental credit for teachers, the criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post-primary teachers with the criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). These circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of overseas teaching service, both within or outside the EU. Where a school satisfies the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit, an award of incremental credit can be made.

Where schools do not satisfy the required criteria, then service at that school cannot be considered towards incremental credit. Teachers must be on the Department’s payroll or teaching in an Education and Training Board school before an application can be processed. It should be noted that the awarding of incremental credit is not an automatic entitlement, applicants have to submit a fully completed incremental credit application in order to have prior service assessed.

The criteria for the award of incremental credit for teachers are subject to review by way of an incremental credit committee, which is a sub-committee of the TCC, and which meets on an ongoing basis. Through this committee, the teacher unions have lodged a claim concerning the recognition of private post primary teaching service outside the EU towards the award of incremental credit. As this is an ongoing industrial relations matter it would not be appropriate for me to comment in any further detail on this.

The Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services and will continue to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and to the taxpayer. Any further amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, including pay and allowances, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions or through the TCC forum.

Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
Link to this: Individually | In context

444. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether she will consider revising the teacher pay scale for post-primary education to better recognise the valuable international experience of teachers, including those with extensive teaching backgrounds, who are currently being placed at the starting pay level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25422/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Pay and workplace reform measures for public servants have been governed by a framework of public service pay agreements for a number of years with the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026 in place until June 2026.

The value of public pay deals to the Government and the taxpayer is ensuring that pay costs are managed in a sustainable and orderly way and in a climate of industrial peace. By and large public pay agreements have delivered on these objectives over the last 12 years having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.

The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start and new entrant pay has been gradually restored over the years. The previous agreement, Building Momentum provided for increases of 8.5% to 9.5% over the entire agreement, with lower paid workers receiving higher percentage increases. There is also a specific provision in relation to new entrant teacher pay which allows for the skipping of Point 12 of the pay scale, to further progress their move up the pay scale more quickly.

The current PSA 2024 - 2026, provides for further baseline increases of 9.25% for over 100,000 staff in the school sector, again with lower paid workers receiving higher percentage increases. In terms of teacher pay specifically, by the end of this agreement, these increases would increase the pay of a teacher on the top point to around €85,000 per annum. The starting pay for a teacher will be around €46,000 per annum, compared to just over €30,000 in 2012. The PSA also provides for a local bargaining process to deal with outstanding adjudications, commitments, recommendations, awards and claims.

In relation to incremental credit for teachers, the criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post-primary teachers with the criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). These circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of overseas teaching service, both within or outside the EU. Where a school satisfies the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit, an award of incremental credit can be made.

Where schools do not satisfy the required criteria, then service at that school cannot be considered towards incremental credit. Teachers must be on the Department’s payroll or teaching in an Education and Training Board school before an application can be processed. It should be noted that the awarding of incremental credit is not an automatic entitlement, applicants have to submit a fully completed incremental credit application in order to have prior service assessed.

The criteria for the award of incremental credit for teachers are subject to review by way of an incremental credit committee, which is a sub-committee of the TCC, and which meets on an ongoing basis. Through this committee, the teacher unions have lodged a claim concerning the recognition of private post primary teaching service outside the EU towards the award of incremental credit. As this is an ongoing industrial relations matter it would not be appropriate for me to comment in any further detail on this.

The Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services and will continue to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and to the taxpayer. Any further amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, including pay and allowances, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions or through the TCC forum.