The second annual report of the Public Service Pay Agreement implementation body shows that the agreement has delivered almost €900m in savings in its second year. The report was released today and its summary of the education savings show the considerable contribution of teachers and lecturers.
Speaking this afternoon, TUI Deputy General Secretary Annette Dolan said:
“This report shows the huge contribution of public servants under the Agreement. Clearly, teachers and lecturers are playing their part in meeting and exceeding the targets set. The Government must also honour its side of the deal.
Institute of Technology lecturers already worked lecturing hours high above international norms before the Public Service Agreement. Now they are delivering two extra lecturing hours a week across the breadth of courses at a time when staff numbers in higher education have fallen by 7.3%. Meanwhile, student numbers within the sector have spiralled by almost 15%. Much more is clearly being done with much less.
At second level, teachers are delivering an extra 900,000 hours per annum while the frequency of various inspections have also increased. Meanwhile, hundreds of teachers have also been redeployed within the sector to areas of greatest need.’