External Staff Relations

The External Staff Relations Unit manages industrial relations for the wider education sector. The Unit’s function is to promote good industrial relations practice throughout the education sector while encouraging and supporting the modernisation of the sector.

The unit is responsible for:

• promotion of compliance with government pay policy throughout the wider education sector
• overseeing the implementation of Public Service Agreements as they apply to the education sector
• operation of a pay and allowances sanctioning system for all grades in the wider education sector
• lead for the education sector at public pay talks
• facilitate the implementation of employment law & legislation in relation to public service pay in the wider education sector
• representing the official side’s position at meetings of the Conciliation Council and negotiation settlements
• negotiation and agreeing structures and processes with trade unions and management bodies
• operation of conciliation and arbitration schemes for school-based staff who do not have access to the Labour Court
• servicing of negotiations of claims through the Workplace Relations Commission and the Labour Court
• processing of claims in relation to pay and conditions of service and other industrial relation issues through the agreed structures
• advising institutions and line sections on appropriate structures and processes for dealing with industrial relations issues
• participation in cross-departmental working groups
• promotion of good industrial relations practice in the wider education sector

See Also:

• www.workplacerelations.ie
• Department of Public Expenditure and Reform