Sinn Féin spokesperson on Education Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD has commended school secretaries, and their Trade Union Fórsa, on forcing the Government and the Department of Education into concessions on pay regularisation for secretaries.

This has led to the deferral of tomorrow’s planned strike action.

Teachta Ó Laoghaire said:

“School secretaries have fought for decades for pay equality, fair treatment and pension entitlements.

“I commend the school secretaries and their representatives in the FÓRSA Trade Union for their dedication to this campaign, the fruits of which we have begun to see today.

“The work that school secretaries and caretakers do in schools is invaluable, schools would literally cease to function without them.

“So it is welcome that this long campaign is finally forcing long overdue concessions from Government.

“There is still work to be done, to secure full equality for school secretaries, and Sinn Féin will continue to stand with the secretaries and support them as they continue their campaign in pursuit of pension entitlements and full equalisation of sick pay.

“Whilst I am glad the government have eventually listened to the secretaries, to their Union, to Sinn Féin and others, I would urge the government today to not forget the school caretakers, who too face significant inequality in terms of their wages and conditions.

“School secretaries and caretakers deserve justice, and they deserve full equality. Until that is achieved, the campaign continues and Sinn Féin will continue to stand with and lend support to our secretaries and caretakers.”