Vol. 525 No. 2
895 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education and Science when payments will be made to those teachers who lost their post responsibility allowance when they opted for job sharing and who have been awarded compensation for the year 1997 to 1998; the reason for the delay in making this payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24314/00]
Under the terms of the original pilot job-sharing scheme for teachers which was introduced in 1993, job-sharing teachers who held or were promoted to A or B posts of responsibility were required to stand down from these posts and forfeit the relevant allowances while job sharing. Following a review of this scheme and consultation with school management and teacher representatives, a new job sharing scheme for teachers was introduced from the 1998-9 school year. It provides that special duties and assistant principal, formerly A and B, post-holders may retain their positions while job sharing, subject to the relevant school management authority being satisfied that the duties of the post can be performed in full by the teacher.
Following further discussions in the matter, my Department agreed earlier this year to restore the allowance which would have been due to any job-sharing teacher during 1997-8 if the teacher was not required to stand down from a post of responsibility under the terms of the original scheme. This is subject to the condition and understanding that any such teacher was willing and able to carry out the duties appropriate to the post during the period in question.
A circular on the matter is currently being issued to all school management authorities together with application forms to enable teachers to make the necessary claim for payment of the appropriate allowance. I wish to assure the Deputy that any claims received by my Department will be processed as speedily as possible.
