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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Noel Ahern

Question:

780 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Science his views on the position of temporary secondary school teachers and their position during the summer months; the number of temporary teachers in the secondary school system; the number who receive payment for summer months and bank holidays; if there is a maximum period of years that a staff member can be kept on a temporary status; the reason staff with over five years temporary service are not automatically made permanent or have their status improved; if this situation is central to the claim from the ASTI-TUI; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26330/01]

The vast majority of the teaching posts at second level schools are filled on a permanent whole-time basis. According to records in my Department there are approximately 1,100 temporary wholetime teachers and 950 eligible part-time teachers employed in secondary schools. All of these teachers are paid in respect of the summer months. Vacancies in schools arising from career breaks, approved leave of absence or secondments and concessionary posts, which are allocated in excess of a school's normal quota of posts, may only be filled in a temporary or part-time capacity. In addition, in order to ensure that schools have the flexibility to meet the curricular needs of their students, particularly in minority subject areas, it is necessary for them to appoint temporary or part-time teachers.

Under the terms of the eligible part-time teacher – EPT – scheme, EPTs who are fully qualified and have given satisfactory service are re-employed on a contract basis from year to year where the same teaching hours are required. Most teachers who are initially employed as EPTs subsequently apply for and are appointed to per manent teaching posts in their subject area. They are entitled to incremental and pension credit for their qualified EPT service, together with recognition of this service for promotion purposes. The job security of temporary teachers is also related to the number and type of posts available. In this regard, the position at second level has significantly improved in recent years. Over 1,200 additional posts were created in the sector since the 1999-2000 school year. 200 new posts will be created this year and a further 200 posts will be created next year in accordance with the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.
The matter of employment for temporary teachers did not form part of the pay claim from the ASTI. A claim for the introduction of a salary scale for part-time teachers has been lodged at the Teachers' Conciliation Council. As claims before the Council are matters to be dealt with solely by the Council it would not be appropriate for me to make a statement on this matter at this time.

Michael Creed

Question:

781 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary schools approved in the 2000-2001 academic year under the new programme deal for disadvantaged primary schools; the budget approved for this initiative; the amount of money paid out to schools under this initiative in the 2000-2001 academic year; if all schools have received their full allocation; and if he will issue a final payment to a school (details supplied) in County Cork. [26331/01]

The Deputy is referring to the new programme Giving Children An Even Break, that I launched in January of this year, to deal with educational disadvantage in primary schools. The new programme will run over a three-year period and will cost some £26 million – 33,013,190. The new programme involves the creation of over 200 new primary teaching posts and the allocation of cash grants to over 2,300 primary schools in respect of disadvantaged pupils. All participating primary schools under the new programme will receive additional funding to be used in the provision of a range of in school and out of school supports for the pupils concerned over the three year period. A total of £3.6 million – 4.571,057 was allocated in grants to participating schools in respect of the 2000-01 school year. In April of this year, the 2,324 eligible primary schools were invited to participate in the new programme and benefit from the resources allocated, based on the level of concentration of pupils with characteristics that are associated with educational disadvantage and early school leaving.

Of this number, 1,984 schools returned a form of undertaking to my Department by the deadline date of 4 May 2001 to indicate their willingness to participate in the new programme. These schools were allocated their full allocation of resources for the 2000-01 school year by June of this year. The remaining 340 schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, were issued a further letter on 3 October 2001 reminding them to return the form of undertaking if they wished to participate in the new programme. Some of these schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, have since returned the form of undertaking and will be allocated remaining resources in respect of the 2000-01 school year shortly.
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