Teachers paid €2.5bn in allowances since 2007

PRIMARY AND post-primary teachers have received a total of €2.5 billion in allowances separate from pay and increments over the past five years, according to Department of Education figures.

In 2011, more than €506 million was paid in allowances. Primary teachers received €312.9 million, while post-primary teachers were in receipt of €193.2 million last year. In 2007 the total figure was €475 million.

There are 11 categories of allowances, including the qualification allowance for educational attainment beyond a teacher’s original degree. It was the single largest allowance, totalling more than €236.6 million last year.

Other teacher allowances include yard supervision duties (€76.3 million); a position of responsibility allowance such as school principal or vice-principal (€173.4 million); an allowance for teachers with more than 35 years’ service (€9.8 million), and a payment for teaching in Gaeltacht areas (€2.3 million).

Fine Gael TD Jim Daly, a former primary school principal who sought the figures in a parliamentary question, said the combined figures amounted over a six-year period to €3 billion, the “cost of this year’s Anglo bond, which threatens to commit the next generation to a lifetime of debt”.

The Cork South-West TD said there would be a €14 million cost-saving from the changes in pupil/ teacher ratios in small schools, but the allowance for yard supervision was more than €51 million in primary schools and €24.5 million in post-primary schools last year.

He said there was an opportunity there to make a saving.

Calling for a debate to discuss the value and worth of the allowances, which account for one-third of the total amount spent annually on public service allowances, Mr Daly said there was a need to ensure the standard of education provided to children was “not negatively impacted by the need to find savings of €75 million in next year’s education budget”.

He said it was particularly important to protect resources for children with learning challenges.

The annual education budget is €9 billion with 80 per cent going on teacher salaries. Cuts of €75 million were also made in this year’s budget.

The former principal of Skibbereen Gaelscoil called for all stakeholders, including the unions, to “engage constructively with the Department of Education in a real, honest and open conversation on how to avoid a reduction in teaching standards when €75 million is taken from next year’s education budget”.