School Staff

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 June 2015

Tuesday, 23 June 2015

Questions (543)

Tom Fleming

Question:

543. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will carry out a study of the existing system of appointing new primary school teachers to vacant posts, and examine the implementation, on a number of trial basis appointments, by a system similar to the central application system devised and implemented in the State examination system for entry into higher level education. [24721/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Under the existing arrangements vacant posts are filled in the first instance through redeployment. The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. The successful operation of the redeployment arrangements is key to the Department's ability to manage within its budget and the specific ceiling on teacher numbers in place to control payroll and pension costs.

After the redeployment process has transacted, each school is permitted to fill any remaining vacancies through open recruitment. This is managed and organised at individual school level. The suggestion from the Deputy is that this would be organised centrally in a manner similar to the current CAO process for students applying for entry to higher level education. While such a system may contain attractions for applicant teachers it would appear that it would require individual schools to cede control of their recruitment process to an external body. The redeployment process already limits the selection process for schools and it is highly unlikely that schools would agree to ceding control of their recruitment process for any remaining vacancies to an external body.

There would also be staffing and IT resource issues for this external body.

My Department does not therefore propose to carry out the study suggested by the Deputy.