Vol. 474 No. 1
140 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education the position in relation to the panel system for replacement national teachers; the frequency with which a new panel is established; the point when a new panel is created; the number of names currently on the panel for north Dublin covering the Glasnvevin/Whitehall/Drumcondra area; the number of unfilled vacancies which exist in the panel area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2562/97]
There are two separate panel systems for primary teachers — the main panel and the supplementary panel. The main panel provides a mechanism for the redeployment of permanent teachers whose posts are suppressed due to declining enrolments, and to give temporary teachers who have given five or more years' temporary service an opportunity to obtain permanent posts. The supplementary panel exists solely to provide permanent employment opportunities for temporary teachers who have given between three and five years' temporary service.
Both panels are drawn up on an annual basis, as soon as the teachers who are due to go on the panel have been identified. At present there are no names on either the main panel or supplementary panel for the entire Dublin area. As the board of management of each individual school is responsible for the filling of all vacancies, my Department does not have records of the number of unfilled vacancies which exist.
