Teacher allowances cut ‘would be end of Croke Park reform’

Any cut to teacher allowances would be a breach of the Croke Park agreement and would result in the end of reforms under the deal, a union has warned.

The Department of Education suspended payment of allowances to new teachers and others taking up additional posts from Feb 1. Similar moves are in effect across the public sector pending a review, due at the end of the month, of all allowances and premiums by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

It aims to find savings of €75m this year from the annual €2bn cost of allowances and overtime.