The Department of Education has spent €11 million posting teachers their payslips since 2017, new Freedom of Information figures have revealed.
Teachers are paid every two weeks and for each payment are sent a paper payslip via An Post.
In 2021 and 2022, over 3.4 million payslips were posted to current and retired school staff - costing taxpayers nearly €2.6 million.
It’s an increase of close to €400,000 since the previous year, when the postage cost was slightly under €2.2 million.
“This expenditure is unjustifiable,” Labour's education spokesman Aodhan Ó Ríordáin, told Newstalk.
“You can’t stand over €2.6 million being spent last year on posting payslips.
“It’s a minority of those working within the sector who require paper payslips. The vast majority could receive these payslips electronically.
“And that €2.6 million could have been spent in an awful lot better ways to benefit children - disadvantaged children, children with additional needs.
“It just goes to show again how archaic the Department of Education is.”
Officials plan to offer staff the option of an electronic payslip in the coming months.
Main image: A post office in Dublin. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov / RollingNews.ie
