31st January 2024
The Central Executive Committee of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has today decided to formally recommend the proposed public sector pay agreement to members of the union. The executive has also authorised the union to conduct a ballot of the membership, with an online vote to take place from the 4 to 14 March.
Prior to the opening of balloting, the union will publish an informational Eolas in both English and Irish which will be circulated to the membership. The union will host a ballot hub on the INTO website, which will provide information on the ballot arrangements, the Eolas and detailed questions and answers to ensure members receive all pertinent information to make an informed choice on the proposed public sector pay agreement.
If accepted by ICTU-affiliated public service unions, the proposed agreement would, by 1 June 2026, see primary teachers’ salary scale points and allowances increasing by 9.62%, with slightly higher increases earlier on the salary scale due to the series of flat rate payments for workers who earn less than €50,000. The first proposed uplift of €1,125 or 2.25% (whichever is greater) would be backdated to 1 January 2024.
Salary increases would be made on a periodic basis through a combination of flat rate payments and/or percentage increases.
The details include:
2024
- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 2.25% or €1,125, whichever is greater, on 1 January 2024.
- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 1% on 1 June 2024.
- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 1% or €500, whichever is greater, on 1 October 2024.
2025
- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 2% or €1,000, whichever is greater, on 1 March 2025.
- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 1% on 1 August 2025.
2026
- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 1% or €500, whichever is greater, on 1 February 2026.
- A general round increase in annualised basic salary for all public servants of 1% on 1 June 2026.
Local Bargaining
The proposed agreement also provides for €100 million in a local bargaining fund for INTO claims. This would allow this union to progress a number of priorities set by INTO congresses since 2009.
One third of this fund, totalling €33 million (equivalent to 1% of the basic pay cost), is applicable from 1 September 2025 with the remainder guaranteed to form part of the following pay agreement.
At the insistence of the union negotiating team that the industrial relations climate be normalised, government has agreed to repeal section 4(2) of the FEMPI No. 2 Act 2009 upon ratification of this agreement. Consequently, the proposed agreement contains a simpler dispute resolution mechanism than those deployed since 2009.
Public Service Reform
The proposed agreement also commits teachers to engage with a number of curricular, pedagogical and system wide initiatives which are outlined in the Education section of the appendix of the agreement (page 17).
The Central Executive Committee is determined to ensure that the Department of Education provides the necessary resources, training and supports for these initiatives at school level.
Email addresses
Members are encouraged to check that the union has their current email address by logging into the member portal and updating their email address if needed. Note, if a member’s email address is valid and currently on their member portal, they do not need to take any action. If a member needs to register to use the member portal for the first time, please email ballots@into.ie.
Click here to read the proposed agreement.