1199. Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide further clarification on the basis upon which the local bargaining measures for special needs assistants are being considered following recent ballots; if she will report on the engagement taking place with an organisation (details supplied) on these matters; and if she will make a statement on the matter.' [60446/26]

Chapter 4 of the outgoing Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024–2026 provides for Local Bargaining, a mechanism through which employers and trade unions may agree changes to structures, work practices and conditions of service in return for an agreed local bargaining payment.

A key part of the local bargaining process, agreed between the Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (DPER) and the Public Services Committee of ICTU, is that parties at sectoral level agree reform measures known as ‘management priorities’ in return for payment of agreed local bargaining claims. It is a matter for each individual union to decide to ballot its members on any matter, including the agreed outcomes of local bargaining negotiations. My Department has no involvement in decisions taken by a trade union to ballot of its members on local bargaining matters.

The department recently responded to Fórsa’s letter outlining the outcome of their consultation ballot on the Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan and Local Pay Bargaining Offer. In that response the Department confirmed it remains committed to constructive engagement with Fórsa and is available to engage in relation to these matters.