Vol. 435 No. 10
10 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education the reason teachers are not entitled to a day's leave to attend the Confirmation of their own child although they are entitled to leave to attend other family occasions; if she will rectify this anomaly; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I assume the Deputy's question relates to leave of absence for primary school teachers. The position is that paid leave of absence is sanctioned by my Department for primary teachers, subject to board of management approval, for a number of specific purposes. These purposes do not at present include paid leave to attend their child's Confirmation.
National teachers may qualify for extra personal vacation (EPV), by attending approved in-service training courses, which usually take place during the summer vacation. Teachers may qualify for up to a maximum of five EPV days in any one year, the number of days being determined by the number of days' attendance at a course. EPV earned by teachers must be taken during the school year following the course, otherwise it is forfeit. The permission of the board of management is required before a teacher can take any of the EPV days earned. The EVP days may be taken as single days, or in any group of days subject to the maximum five days referred to previousyly.
Secondary and Community and Comprehensive teachers are allowed up to five days' paid leave for personal reasons subject to the approval of the school authorities.
Teachers employed by vocational education committees may, in exceptional circumstances, be paid salary in respect of occasional brief absences owing to reasonable causes and subject to the approval of the committee and the sanction of the Minister. Special leave of absence with pay is also allowed on marriage or on the death of a near relative or through illness.
I have a great deal more detail in my brief.
Tá eolas agam air cheana féin, a Aire. Does the Minister realise that a teacher who is a parent may attend the wedding of a near relative, the ordination of a relative, the funeral of another teacher, whom he or she may not know, attend the funeral of a member of the clergy, a person whom he or she may not know and a university conferring ceremony but not the Confirmation of his or her own child? It is as good as a kick in the teeth when a parent is told he or she can take a day's holiday leave to attend the child's Confirmation and is not entitled to paid leave as in the other cases to which I referred. This reflects very badly on how we value the occasion of a young person's Confirmation, as to the child this is the biggest occasion of his or her life. Is the Minister prepared, as she indicated in response to previous questions, to initiate a review bearing in mind the continuous difficulties it causes?
No child is confirmed in a hurry. When one reads the list one might ask why provision is made for certain occasions and not others. Generally the Minister is under pressure on the length of the school year. It would cause more problems in the classroom to allow a teacher to attend a Confirmation in addition to the other leave that can be taken. Parents might wish to attend on the occasion of Holy Communion as well as Confirmation but parents have at least two or three years' notice of such occasions, and depending on where your child goes to school you know exactly when the child will be confirmed. There is anything up to two or three years' notice for both those occasions. Parents know exactly when their children will be confirmed, having regard to what class they are in at school. Given the fact that teachers have managed their leave through the courses done in the summer, I think it would be acceptable. That is how teachers have attended religious ceremonies for children. They plan in advance, notify the board of management and get the day off. I would prefer not to shorten the school year. Indeed, the pressure at the next question Time may be from the other side of the House to lengthen the school year — although probably not from teachers.
If the Minister takes Deputy Sargent's suggestion on board will she bear in mind that some teachers may not wish to attend Confirmation ceremonies but Bar Mitzvah ceremonies?
I was not suggesting a shortening of the school year and I am aware of the controversy surrounding it. I was asking for a review. I take on board what Deputy Shatter says because I too am a representative from a minority religion. I see the need for a certain amount of pluralism, but that is a bigger debate. I was asking for this to be reviewed along with the other peripheral issues, particularly attendance at functions that do not bear any relation to the teacher who may be taking leave of absence. As it seems timely, could these issues be considered in the light of the review to which the Minister has agreed for other issues?
I am unsympathetic to the Deputy. A variety of reasons for primary school teachers leave of absence is listed, but all that leave is subject to the approval of the board of management. Religious ceremonies of one kind or another do not come as a surprise to the family so I do not see the need to review this. The leave days and summer courses available to teachers have served them well and I would like teachers to continue taking up summer courses because they have been a source of wonderful in-service training for teachers.
