Donegal TD Charlie McConalogue has called for the wage gap between school secretaries to be reversed in 2019.
The call comes as current conditions mean the wage gap between secretaries in Donegal can often be in excess of €10,000 per year. The wage discrepancy depends on whether staff are employed by the Department of Education or paid from school funds.
Fianna Fáil TD for Donegal Charlie McConalogue said that it is simply unfair that school secretaries in the county are still feeling the brunt of a two-tier pay structure.
He said: “As it stands just 10% of the 3,500 school secretaries across the country are employed by the Department of Education. The remaining 90% are paid for out of school funding which supports their wages, caretakers and other school supplies.
“Having previously served as Spokesperson on Education, I am acutely aware of how hard our school secretaries work. Without them, schools wouldn’t function. They deserve better pay and conditions.
“As it stands, the vast majority of school secretaries do not enjoy the same benefits as the 10% who are directly employed by the Department. They have no safeguards, no pensions, no sick leave entitlements, and no incremental pay scale increases. The wage gap between two individuals carrying out the same job is often in excess of €10,000 per year.”
Deputy McConalogue has called on Minister for Education Joe McHugh to ‘get to grips with this glaring anomaly and recognise the work of all school secretaries.’
“School secretaries are expected to take on huge responsibilities, from complex administration to organising school events and training days. Talks must start as soon as possible between the government and the trade union, in accordance with an adjudication of the WRC back in 2015”, concluded Deputy McConalogue.
