John Halligan
Question:256. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current national policy on terms and conditions for teachers working in the adult literacy service; the circulars that exist for tutors and teachers working in the service; in view of this Deputy's understanding that they are registered with the Teaching Council as teachers, yet are classified as tutors by the education and training boards, his views that there is a disparity between the treatment of some adult education sectors, such as Youthreach and the vocational training opportunities scheme, and the treatment of others such as adult literacy, with literacy teachers currently working on low-hour contracts which do not reflect the hours they actually work; her further views that it is unfair that they have no access to the State pension scheme, no incremental scale and no paid leave or maternity leave entitlements; her views that this is a simple case of discrimination against teachers working within the adult literacy service; if she acknowledges that it is having a negative impact on students of the service due to unfavourable working conditions; if she will further acknowledge that many teachers in the service are being forced to take positions elsewhere, meaning that there is a constant roll-over of experienced staff, which has an administrative effect on the Department of Social Protection which has to sign-on, assess and sign-off over 1,000 literacy tutors every mid-term, Christmas, Easter and summer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28127/15]
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