asked the Minister for Education the number of vocational education committees that insist that their staff members sign release forms in June of each year on the commencement of summer holidays; the purpose of having such forms signed; why the committees concerned refuse to continue paying the salaries throughout the summer holidays until the signed documents are submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Release Forms.
7.
This is a matter within the competence of the vocational education committees. My Department do not intervene in relation to it and do not have the information sought by the Deputy.
Have a vocational education committee the right to withhold salaries during the summer holidays? If so, what is the statutory condition? Where is it backed by statute?
I am not sure that this will satisfy the Deputy because neither I nor any of the officials in my Department could understand the point the Deputy was trying to make. If he has a particular case, I would like to hear what is involved. I will quote from memorandum V7 relating to this if that is any help to the Deputy. It says that a permanent whole-time teacher shall be granted a minimum of six weeks summer vacation each year, provided he has satisfactorily completed the duties normally required of teachers immediately after the conclusion of class work for the session and subject to the condition that he may be required to attend a course of instruction during portion of the vacation period. That is the section relating to holidays.
The position is that unless the teachers sign forms before the holidays they are liable to be without salaries during the holidays. I want to know from the Minister if a vocational committee have a statutory right to withhold the salary and leave the teacher without salary during the six weeks summer recess to which the Minister referred?
I am not sure what release forms the Deputy is referring to. We have checked with the 38 VECs and they have no information about the point raised by the Deputy and they do not know to what he is referring. Is this in relation to a particular teacher in a particular school?
It is in relation to teachers generally employed by vocational education committees. I put down the question on a general basis.
We do not have any information about what is being alluded to by the Deputy nor do any of the VECs.
If the Minister finds out that this is the position, would he, realising that teachers may be inconvenienced if forms are not supplied to them before they start their holidays and they will have to do without their salaries, take steps to get rid of this unnecessary condition?
I would certainly be very concerned if through some clerical mix-up people were deprived of their salaries during the summer period. I will take steps to see that that position does not arise. The Deputy will have to give me specific information about what he wants.