School Secretaries Deserve Fair Pay

School Secretaries Deserve Fair Pay – Tóibín

Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has expressed his support for school secretaries engaged in work-to-rule protests against the Department of Education. The majority of Irish school secretaries are not employees of the Department, meaning that they are not on a public service pay scales and can earn as little as €12,500 annually. Instead, most secretaries are employed directly by school boards of management and during the summer time have no choice but to avail of social welfare payments.

An Teachta Tóibín stated:

“The continued unfair treatment of Irish school secretaries has to stop. Secretaries and their union, Fórsa, are right to take a stand against unfair and crippling levels of pay.

“In schools across the state, secretaries do instrumental work in ensuring that the education system functions. Much of the heavy lifting in the education system at ground level is done by school secretaries.

“It is long overdue that the Department acknowledge the central role that secretaries play in the upkeep of the Irish education system. Minister for Education Joe McHugh should no longer be allowed to bury his head in the sand when it comes to school secretaries. It is time to put school secretaries on public service pay scales and allow them to live and work with dignity.”

The Irish political system is radically broken

In Ireland the vast majority of elected representatives put a finger in the air to check which way the political wind is blowing. They have one eye on their leaders – seeking brownie points – and another eye keeping their seat safe. If elected reps shut up and do as they’re told, they are promoted; if they stand up for what they believe in, they are demoted. No wonder we have the political class we have. No wonder one point one billion euro is being buried in a hole under the National Children’s Hospital and that Stormont is in stalemate.

Throughout Ireland, many people are now afraid to say what they feel, many are afraid to respectfully engage on a range of different topics. Many feel there is a new censorship and a new political correctness in Ireland, that opposition to the establishment is being deleted.

Respectful opposition is not the enemy. Respectful opposition is a critical element of a functional democracy. Aontú will have the backbone to stand up, without fear, for you.