Ninth Level Ireland

“A chara, – The creation of 75 women-only professorships is a textbook example of how members of the higher socio-economic classes who have connections and influence in political and media circles can bend the the Government into making irrational and fiscally irresponsible decisions to their advantage, with all parties assuming the taxpayer will foot the substantial bill …” (more)

[Dave Slater, Irish Times, 25 July]

“Jonathan O’Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the planned unwinding of FEMPI measures in line with the Public Service Stability Agreement for each of the years 2019 to 2023 disaggregated by wage bracket …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 25 June]

“The Government will face claims for special pay rises of 6% from staff in the public service as compensation if it does not roll back additional working hours introduced after the economic crisis, one of the country’s main unions has warned …” (more)

[Martin Wall, Irish Times, 8 May]

“The Government will face down any union demands to abolish the pension levy which was imposed on public sector workers during the financial crash, the Sunday Independent has learnt. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe will vehemently oppose any changes to pension contributions paid by public sector workers during future pay talks with unions …” (more)

[Philip Ryan and Ralph Riegel, Independent, 5 May]

“The Government will be very relieved the dispute by 40,000 nurses which caused chaos in the country’s hospital system this year has been brought to a close. However, the settlement has come at a significant price, about €50 million over this year and next year, and potentially more depending on whether offsetting productivity measures materialise …” (more)

[Martin Wall, Irish Times, 2 May]

“Public service unions have had discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure on a review of the pay terms set out in the agreement for State employees, informed sources have said. Minister of Education Joe McHugh said on Tuesday he was aware that the parties to the Public Service Stability Agreement were engaged in exploratory discussions …” (more)

[Martin Wall, Irish Times, 25 April]

“Teachers will now battle for equal pensions for recent recruits after securing a Government commitment to address two-tier pay. They are also lining up their demands for a pay rise now their nine-year battle to achieve full wage equality appears to be moving into its final phase …” (more)

[Anne-Marie Walsh, Katherine Donnelly and Ralph Riegel, Independent, 24 April]

“The Teacher’s Union of Ireland (TUI) warned the Government that while moves to increase pay for young teachers is welcome and overdue, ongoing pay inequality will not be tolerated. TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann warned delegates at their annual conference in Killarney that the Government must realise that teacher unions will not tolerate pay inequality under any circumstances …” (more)

[Ralph Riegel, Independent, 23 April]

“The Government has signalled that it will move to end the two-tier pay system in the public service as part of future negotiations with trade unions. Two initiatives have been tabled to deal with the lower-pay arrangements for staff hired after 2011, including a phased €200 million proposal announced last September to resolve the issue by 2026 …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 22 April]

“Teachers’ unions are threatening industrial action if the Government does not make a firm commitment over the coming days to restore pay equality for thousands of their members hired since 2011. The warning comes as teachers’ annual conferences get under way this week with pay rates for so-called ‘new entrants’ set to dominate the agenda …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 22 April]

“Public service unions are set to demand a pay rise and wage reviews at new Government talks in the wake of a deal worth more than €35m for nurses. Sources said they were likely to make a collective claim for a wage boost after nurses won a package that includes a higher salary scale to halt crippling health service strikes …” (more)

[Anne-Marie Walsh, Independent, 8 March]

“More than 60,000 public servants recruited since 2011 on lower pay will gradually see pay improvements from today. The pay increases, which are about €3,300 on average, are part of the implementation of a deal to address pay inequality …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 1 March]

“The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that two-tier pay scales for teachers in Ireland are not discriminatory on age grounds. The case was taken by the primary teachers’ union, the INTO, on behalf of two members, Tomás Horgan and Claire Keegan, who were employed after January 2011, when lower pay scales were introduced …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 14 February]

“The president of the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) said if it was possible to sort out the nurses pay dispute then it should be possible to address the disparity in pay for teachers, he said. The nurses’ pay deal shows the Government was prepared to act in a crisis and ‘there is a crisis in teaching’, Seamus Lahart said …” (more)

[Vivienne Clarke, Irish Times, 13 February]

“Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the 1% increase for public sector employees and in public service pensions which has not come in effect; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 30 January]

“The secondary teachers’ union, ASTI has signalled its intention to conduct a ballot for industrial action in its campaign for the abolition of two-tier pay scales, but there are no immediate plans for one …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 26 January]

“On Thursday, Jan 24, the Public Accounts Committee will consider how certain third-level educational institutions have managed remuneration of senior staff and overseen the sale of a campus technology spinoff …” (more)

[Houses of the Oireachtas, 23 January]

“A former chairman of the Labour Court once recounted to me in considerable detail how a pay rise gained by a clerical grade in a public body spiralled out across equivalent public-service grades until it ended up being applied to the pay of members of the choir in Bunratty Castle …” (more)

[Bill Roche, Irish Times, 16 January]

“David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the decision to intervene in a Workplace Relations Committee ruling regarding staff at Waterford Institute of Technology who were not moved onto a higher lecturer’s scale despite the fact that their colleagues were moved up the scale (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 4 December]

“The country’s largest secondary teachers’ union has rejected Government proposals to address the controversial two-tier pay system in schools. The move is likely to increase the potential for disruption in schools in the months ahead. In a ballot, members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) voted against the Government initiative on new entrant pay by a margin of 53% to 47%. The turnout was 58% …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 29 November]