Fianna Fail Education spokesperson Senator Fiona O’Loughlin has welcomed the acceptance by Forsa of offer of improved pay and conditions.
Senator O’Loughlin said, “I am informed by Minister Foley that under the terms of this new agreement school secretaries’ pay rates will move to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale.”
“Importantly, the pay increases will be backdated to 1 September 2021 while the terms and conditions also cater for lower-paid but longer serving secretaries to be placed higher up the salary scale. This is a welcome aspect, and something that I was lobby hard for at a national level. Many secretaries have been working in untenable circumstances for many years, so an element of back dating is crucial.”
“The practice of school secretaries signing on over the summer months will also end. A new contract will give the option to secretaries that they no longer need to apply to the Department of Social Protection for payment of benefits for periods when they are not working due to school holidays.”
Fiona concluded by saying “School secretaries play a pivotal role in our local school communities, and for too long they were not shown the respect they deserved. I have been working with secretaries in South Kildare and the unions on this for some time and I am pleased to see such a positive resolution.”
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