UPDATED: Solidarity expressed in Kildare for striking school secretaries and caretakers

A public representative based in County Kildare has expressed his solidarity with striking school secretaries and caretakers.

Social Democrats councillor Chris Pender, who is based in the Kildare-Newbridge Municipal District, expressed support for school secretaries and caretakers within Ireland currently engaged in industrial action.

According to Cllr Pender, their treatment by the government has been "indefensible and deeply unjust".

Explaining his views, Cllr Pender said: "School secretaries and caretakers are the backbone of our education system. Without their dedication, our schools simply cannot function.

"Yet, despite working alongside teachers and Special Needs Assistants in public buildings, they have been consistently denied the same entitlements including pension security, bereavement leave, and critical illness leave; this two-tier system is indefensible."

Social Democrats Cllr Chris Pender.

He continued: "The government has had every opportunity to resolve this dispute, but instead it has ignored the legitimate demands of these essential workers.

"It beggars belief that, after decades of service, many school secretaries and caretakers face retirement without any pension provision; that is an appalling injustice and must be addressed immediately."

Cllr Pender also referenced a call made by his party's Education Spokesperson Jennifer Cummins TD, who has appealed to the Departments of Education and Public Expenditure to return to the negotiating table "without delay".

Doubling down on his stance, Cllr Pender said: "I stand firmly with the Fórsa [the trade union which represents many members of the public service] members who have taken the difficult decision to strike.

"They do not want to be on picket lines they want to be in schools, supporting children, families, and teachers," he claimed. "The responsibility for this disruption lies squarely at the door of government, whose refusal to engage is irresponsible and damaging to school communities."

Cllr Pender also encouraged members of the public to show their support for striking school staff: "This is not just a fight for fair treatment for secretaries and caretakers it is a fight for justice, dignity, and equality in our education system.

"I urge parents, students, and communities across Kildare and beyond to stand with these workers."

He concluded: "Their struggle is a just one, and the government must be left in no doubt that the public expects a fair resolution."

The Department of Education has been contacted by the Leinster Leader for comment in relation to Cllr Pender's views.

UPDATE — September 2, 2025 at 1.45pm approx — The below statement was provided by a spokesperson for the Department in response to Cllr Pender's comments:

The department recognises the vitally important role of secretaries and caretakers within school communities. 

In recent years, we have made progress in improving the terms and conditions of school secretaries. This has included secretaries’ pay being linked to any increases in pay under public sector agreements, improved annual leave entitlements, improved maternity provisions and paid sick leave in excess of the statutory requirement.  

Where a school employs a staff member as a secretary that staff member is not a public servant but an employee of the school, and responsibility for terms of employment rests with the school.

School secretaries and caretakers, like other non-public-service-employees, will also be covered by the new Auto Enrolment (AE) scheme - My Future Fund.

This scheme will provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement savings and will automatically enrol eligible employees into a pension plan, allowing them to save for retirement with contributions from themselves, their employer, and the State. AE is expected to be implemented from January 1, 2026.  

The Department of Education and Youth will continue to engage with all parties in the coming days including the Workplace Relations Commission, which remains available to assist with the resolution of this dispute.  

During this action, all schools are expected to open for all students.

FURTHER INFORMATION

• Since an agreement reached in February 2022, school secretaries have been assimilated to the payroll of the Department of Education and Youth, providing significant benefits in terms of pay and access to leave. This included improved annual leave entitlements, improved maternity provisions and paid sick leave in excess of the statutory requirement. Secretaries receive annualised salaries where they have opted-in and no longer have to sign on in summer. It was also agreed that pay increases under future national agreements will be passed on to secretaries and this has happened with each pay increase since the implementation of the agreement. We are committed to ensuring that grant-funded school caretakers will be afforded the opportunity to avail of a similar agreement that was offered to grant-funded school secretaries.
• The agreement did not grant public servant status to school secretaries and therefore school secretaries do not have access to the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.
• School secretaries and caretakers, like other non-public-service-employees, will also be covered by the new Auto Enrolment (AE) scheme - My Future Fund. This scheme will provide workers with greater comfort and security regarding their retirement savings and will automatically enrol eligible employees into a pension plan, allowing them to save for retirement with contributions from themselves, their employer, and the State. AE is expected to be implemented from 1 Jan 2026.

BACKGROUND NOTE

• Most primary and voluntary secondary schools traditionally received assistance to provide for certain services under grant schemes, for example, secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services. Where a school employs a staff member to support those functions that staff member is an employee of the school and responsibility for terms of employment rests with the school.
• In 2019, Fórsa trade union tabled a claim seeking parity for these staff with education and training board (ETB) clerical public service staff. Following extensive engagement, agreement was reached in February 2022 in respect of school secretaries. The agreement provided for secretaries, who signed up for the package, to be moved to a pay scale aligned with that of Grade III/CO and for some enhanced terms and conditions including improved leave entitlements and maternity provisions.

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