Circular letter F30/03

Chief Executive Officer

of the Vocational Education Committee

named in the address.

16th July, 2003.

Circular Letter No: F30/03.

Re: Restructured Pay for Assistant Principal Officer grades in Vocational Education Committees.

Dear Chief Executive Officer,

I am directed by the Minister for Education and Science to refer to the application in the education sector of the terms of Sustaining Progress and the associated pay agreement, and to convey the approval of the Minister for the implementation of the following revised pay rates for the Assistant Principal Officer in your scheme. This Circular Letter has been published on the Web and may be accessed at

Revision of Pay

1.The adjustment to the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) provided that one-quarter of the increases recommended by the Public Service Benchmarking Body would be paid with effect from 1 December 2001.

2.In accordance with the agreed adjustment to the terms of the PPF and with the ratification of the Programme for Sustaining Progress, basic rates of pay may be increased, with effect from 1stDecember 2001, by payment of one-quarter of the increases recommended by the Public Service Benchmarking Body (PSBB). Note that varying increases have been applied to VEC sector grades, in accordance with the recommendations of the PSBB.

3.The basic pay rates resulting from the application of the increase of 4% due under the PPF, with effect from 1 October 2002, are also adjusted to take account of the increase provided for in paragraph 1.

4.The 1% lump sum, paid in April 2002, which was part of the adjustment to the PPF in December 2000, should not be adjusted on foot of the benchmarking increase.

5.The revised salary scales, as appropriate, are set out in the schedule attached to this Circular Letter. Rounding has been applied to the nearest euro on annual scales.

Future benchmarking increases

6.Future payments of Benchmarking increases are dependent, in the case of each grade, on verification of co-operation with flexibility and ongoing change, maintenance of stable industrial relations and absence of industrial action in respect of any matters covered by Sustaining Progress. Payment is dependent on verification of satisfactory achievement of targets to be achieved in relation to ongoing change and flexibility.

Remuneration of Substitutes

7.In accordance with Agreed Report 4/80 of the Conciliation Council for Clerical and Administrative staff, revised rates of substitution allowances are approved, as follows:

Grades whose maximum salary exceeds the maximum salary of Assistant Principal: / Grades whose maximum salary does not exceed the maximum salary of Assistant Principal:
Acting Up / Dual Duties / Acting Up / Dual Duties
01/12/01 / €1,058 / €3,177 / €1,144 / €3,406
01/10/02 / €1,100 / €3,304 / €1,190 / €3,542
Other Allowances

8.Benchmarking increases should not be applied to allowances, other than those set out in Paragraph 7 above. Where it is considered that a particular allowance should be adjusted, a case setting out the reasons why the adjustment is warranted should be furnished to the Department.

Pensions

9.Pensions in the course of payment on 30th November 2001 in respect of former Assistant Principal Officers may be adjusted as appropriate, in the normal way, by reference to the revised salary scales set out in the schedule.

10.Please provide a copy of this Circular Letter to staff members, as appropriate, in the normal way.

11.Any queries regarding the implementation of this Circular Letter, at VEC level, should be addressed to the Post Primary Administration office in Tullamore. (Tel: 0506-24336/8, Fax: 0506-25347).

In response to requests from Vocational Education Committees, Circular Letter F64/02 is attached for information purposes.

J. Kelly

Post Primary.

E-Mail:

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