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Dáil
‹ An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business

School secretaries and caretakers

Summary

Thomas Byrne asked when promised talks on school secretaries' and caretakers' terms and conditions would produce something substantial. The Taoiseach said there was no promised legislation or programme commitment, but he would ask the Minister for Education and Skills to reply.

I remind the Taoiseach of another industrial relations settlement from 2015. I do not know what was going on in 2015 that the Government was making settlements on industrial relations issues but this one is also coming back to bite it. At that time, the Government agreed with school secretaries and caretakers that it would come back this year to discuss their terms and conditions, which are grossly unfair. As I understand it, after much pressure from the Dáil, talks did start but I am led to believe they were a total and utter damp squib and that nothing substantial will happen now, although the agreement that secretaries and caretakers work under expires this year. Will the Taoiseach give me an update on these talks? Will the two-tier pay structure for school secretaries and caretakers, under which some are employed as civil servants and others as contract workers, come to an end as committed to in 2015?

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Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

There is no legislation promised on this and I do not think there is a programme for Government commitment on it. I acknowledge, however, that it is an important issue. The Minister for Education and Skills is not here to answer the question but I will ask him to provide the Deputy with a reply.

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