The government has agreed to increase primary school teachers’ pay to bring it into line with secondary school rates.

The deal, worked out by government officials and teaching unions, will see primary teachers’ pay rising up to 10%, as well as extra measures to reduce their workload and help children who have fallen behind because of coronavirus closures.

In total, the deal will cost some €1.5 billion, of which €919 million will go to closing the pay gap – a commitment made in the new government’s coalition agreement.

‘From now on, teachers and other staff in primary education will earn the same in an equivalent position as their colleagues in secondary education,’ the ministry said in a statement. ‘Of course there are large individual differences, but all teachers will gain at least 4% this year by applying the new salary scales.’

The pay rise will amount to an average of €5,300 a year for a full-time primary school teacher, the education ministry said.