Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 March 2013
12. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason 153 retired teachers were on the payroll of his Department in December 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11979/13]
View answerIn May 2011 my Department issued Circular 31/2011, which sets out a cascading set of measures for appointment of teachers with effect from September 2011. These measures are stringent and require schools to prioritise unemployed teachers over those in receipt of a pension, where possible. I seem to recall that I read this out and dealt with it before.
You certainly did.
I propose that we move on.
As I did not come in on the previous question, may I comment?
Yes.
This obviously is still a problem. I take the point that in some circumstances, there may be a real difficulty with regard to availability in exceptional circumstances. However, anecdotally and from experience, serious issues still persist in schools across the country whereby teachers who are retired are getting temporary contracts and contracts. Whatever about a day's subbing when someone rings in sick and it proves impossible to find someone else, an actual contract is a different kettle of fish. Given the number of young people who have been graduating at primary and secondary levels in recent years, I do not accept there is a shortage of teachers in any subject choice, particularly at second level. I believe the Minister not having taken a sufficiently hard approach on this issue has led to some retired teachers still remaining in those roles. I suggest that a much more formal structure be set up whereby any school that takes on a teacher who already has retired for an exceptional reason must immediately notify the Department and explain the reason. I believe that with immediate accountability on such decisions, it will deter schools from actually doing it. It also will mean that a retired teacher who gets a call at 8 a.m. because someone has called in sick will not feel reluctant to come in. It will avoid the scenario whereby such teachers will not come in, even in those rare situations when the school is unable to find anyone else, because they would be joining a group of people whom much public opinion is against. This will not be an issue if there are exceptional circumstances and if the Minister has in place a proper system whereby it is accounted for. However, I believe this issue persists and of the aforementioned 153 posts, many roles could have been taken up by newly qualified teachers instead.
I fully agree with both Deputies who have raised this matter. Circular 31/2011 arose after my visit to the teaching conferences in the preceding Easter. It was clear, given the strength of feeling, that this was a major issue in both primary and secondary levels. If the circular is not having the intended effect, I will take on board some of the suggestions Deputy McConalogue has made and the process will be made more stringent. I will be told, of course, that if I do make it extremely stringent, I will end up with some schools being unable to get a teacher at short notice. However, I believe both Deputies are referring to contracts to cover maternity leave and so on and not the one-off substitution to cover someone who telephones in sick.
They were referring to something with a longer and more extended period of weeks or something like that. However, this issue is of concern and I will give consideration to it.
