Vol. 497 No. 5
353 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will make a commitment to ensure that special needs teachers are automatically replaced when they leave their posts on either a temporary or permanent basis. [25679/98]
Special needs teachers leaving their posts on a permanent basis are automatically replaced where the need for such replacement is warranted having regard to the number of pupils involved and the overall staffing allocation available to the school.
All teachers, including special needs teachers, who leave their posts temporarily may do so to avail of either paid or unpaid leave. In the case of a teacher absent on paid leave, a substitute teacher may be appointed to replace the absent teacher. Likewise, a teacher absent on unpaid leave may be replaced by a temporary teacher.
