To ask the Minister of Education for her assessment of the equality implications of delays in processing job evaluations within the Education and Library Board structure.

Rinneadh an Scéim phost-mheastóireachta, a bhí déanta ag na Boird Oideachais agus Leabharlainne, ar bhealach cothrom a bhí i gcomhréir leis an chomhaontú le Foireann Ceardchumainn sa bhliain 1995.

The Job Evaluation Scheme, which has been undertaken by the Education & Library Boards, has been carried out in fair and equitable manner consistent with the 1995 agreement with Trade Union Side.

The Scheme has been implemented across the five Boards on the basis of a rolling programme of evaluations in line with Boards’ prioritised needs. As part of the process it was agreed that staff should not be disadvantaged because of their place in the job evaluation queue and that any regrading would be automatically backdated. As a result regrading is being backdated to 1 January 1995 for former non-manual staff and to 1 January 2002 for former manual staff (or the date the post holder commenced the duties of the post).

I have expressed my concerns about the time taken to complete this process to the Chief Executives of the Education and Library Boards and instructed them to ensure that all outstanding cases are processed without delay.