Circulars issued by my Department are reviewed in the context of changes to the administration of and/or policies governing the particular subject, programme or scheme rather than on a fixed period review. The timeframe for review of circulars is determined by the subject matter of the individual circular, for example, circulars governing rates of pay and pensions may apply for particular time periods, whereas circulars governing policy areas will usually cover a longer time frame. This review policy is responsive to business, customer and policy needs, allowing the Department to deal with urgent or emergency-type issues promptly and to reflect policy shifts or changed circumstances.
The Department's use of circulars tends to fall into three broad categories: pay and conditions of employment for school employees; school administration – funding /grants and staffing schedules; and school administration – curriculum changes, issues of relevance to pupils.
Circulars are issued directly to parties and published on my Department's website with links to preceding, succeeding, or associated circulars. As new circulars are published, relevant existing circulars are reviewed and are either archived or associated with the new circular. I am satisfied that the existing review mechanisms in place in my Department are sufficient to ensure the effectiveness of Departmental circulars.
