Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2010
667 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No, 506 of 1 June 2010 and her subsequent letter, if she will detail the costs associated with the issuing of payslips to all teachers primary and secondary under the headings production costs, printing costs, delivery costs for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29756/10]
View answerDetails of the costs associated with the issuing of payslips to Primary and Post Primary Teachers by my Department, under the headings of production, printing and delivery costs for the years 2007, 2008, 2009 and to date in 2010 are laid out in tabular format as follows.
|
Production Costs |
Printing Costs |
Delivery Costs |
Total Annual Cost |
|
|
2007 |
22,026 |
85,052 |
728,343 |
835,421 |
|
2008 |
23,055 |
75,396 |
780,937 |
879,388 |
|
2009 |
21,927 |
95,232 |
800,426 |
917,585 |
|
Cost to date 2010 |
9,593 |
54,096 |
400,039 |
463,729 |
The fluctuations in the yearly printing costs are a consequence of the timing of the purchase of payslip stationery.
Increases in delivery costs reflect increased postage costs. These costs were offset somewhat in 2009 by a reduction in the volume of items.
668 Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the enactment of part five of the Teaching Council Act, 2001; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29759/10]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, Part 5 of the Teaching Council Act, 2001 sets out the Council's investigating and disciplinary functions. The Council or any person may apply to the Investigating Committee for an inquiry into the fitness to teach of a registered teacher where: the teacher has failed to comply with or has contravened the Teaching Council Act, 2001, the Education Act, 1998, the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 or the Vocational Education Acts, 1930 to 1999, or any regulations rules or orders made under those Acts; the teacher's behaviour constitutes professional misconduct; the teacher's registration is erroneous due to a false or fraudulent declaration or misrepresentation; he or she is medically unfit to teach.
When it is deemed appropriate to do so, the Council's Disciplinary Committee will conduct a hearing on a complaint referred to it by the Investigating Committee. Such hearings may lead to withdrawal of registration on a temporary or permanent basis. Draft rules of procedure for panels of the disciplinary committee of the Teaching Council, as required in Section 2 of Schedule 3 of the 2001 Act have been drawn up by the Teaching Council.
Discussions between my Department and the Teaching Council regarding the commencement of Part 5 have taken place and the Teaching Council has indicated its view that Part 5 and Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 should be commenced together. As previously stated, it is intended that Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act be commenced in the near future. The commencement of the section will include provision for it to be regulated that a school may employ unregistered personnel on a time limited basis in exceptional circumstances, and this necessitates a change to the primary legislation.
I intend to commence both Part 5 and Section 30 as soon as is practicable.
669 Deputy Deirdre Clune asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of assistant principals and special duty teachers in the Cork area who have retired from primary teaching since the embargo on filling middle management posts was introduced in 2009; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29773/10]
View answerSince the introduction of the moratorium in March 2009 and up until 30 June 2010 a total of 18 teachers with allowances for posts as assistant principals and 34 teaches with allowances for post as special duties teachers have retired from primary schools throughout Cork.
When the moratorium was introduced the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal appointments in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion.
Unlike other areas of the public service retirement vacancies are actually being filled and what the school loses is the capacity to make a promotion by awarding the extra pay allowance to another teacher. The position whereby just over 50% of all teachers have promotion allowances is simply not sustainable.
Further retirements and promotions later this year will impact further on middle management posts. I am conscious that the impact of the moratorium on middle management posts has applied unevenly in schools and as I have already acknowledged the impact is not just due to the level of retirements but also as a consequence of promotions that are made to principal and deputy principal posts. In this context I have agreed with the Minister for Finance arrangements for a limited derogation from the general moratorium on the filling of promotion posts in schools. These measures are set out in Department Circular 0042/2010 which is now available on my Department website.
