Louth TD raises issue of improved pay and conditions for PAs at further education colleges

The issue of pay and conditions for Personal Assistants (PAs) who help third level students with disabilities in further education colleges has been raised with Minister Simon Harris in Leinster House by Dundalk TD Ruairí Ó Murchú.

The Sinn Féin TD said he has been working with PAs from Ó Fiaich Institute of Further Education, Drogheda Institute of Further Education Cavan Institute and Dunshaughlin Community College over the last number of months to try to get better pay and conditions for them.

Speaking in the Dáil, Deputy Ó Murchú said: “The Minister and I have had multiple interactions regarding personal assistants. They are doing spectacular work to facilitate students with extra needs but they have a contract that does not work.

“They have to apply for jobseeker payments (outside of term time), with all of the difficulties that causes. A number of things are required vis-à-vis their pay claim and there is work the Minister can do on an improved payment.

“It must be ensured this happens as quickly as possible and a system that works within the further education sector is delivered for those with disabilities”.

In response, Minister Harris said: “I thank Deputy Ó Murchú for his question but, more importantly, for genuinely engaging constructively with me on this over a sustained period.

“I have found his engagement to be insightful and very useful to my Department. A number of ETBs have employed personal assistants to provide supports to learners under the fund for students with disabilities.

“I have been in a number of these, including DIFE, with the Deputy, and my officials have engaged with a variety of stakeholders on the issue, including SOLAS, the trade union FÓRSA, and Education and Training Boards Ireland.

“Indeed, Deputy Ó Murchú and I had a meeting with a number of personal assistants, which he very kindly convened and which I felt was useful.

“He knows my position on this. In budget 2024, I secured an additional €2 million for the fund for students with disabilities and was very clear, on receipt of this, that I wanted my officials to examine the position of personal assistants across the tertiary system, how we can support them in the interim and what further steps can be taken.

“I have engaged with my officials consistently on this and the work is ongoing. I am due to meet the group again, along with the Deputy.

“We have a date in the diary for him and I to meet the group of personal assistants again shortly and I hope to be in a position to provide an update at that meeting”.

Minister Harris said the union FORSA had lodged a formal claim with the ETBs and terms and conditions of service of a member of staff of an ETB may be determined by the board with the necessary ministerial consent.”

The minister added: “I believe in trying to get to a point where we can bottom out exactly the contract terms and conditions of personal assistants because this would be hugely beneficial to our education system and to the people working in that area”.

Deputy Ó Murchú replied to say: “I welcome the additional funding. Hopefully, the pay claim can be dealt with as quickly as possible and beyond that, I hope we can work on the other terms and conditions to deliver for students with disabilities”.