Michael Healy-Rae
Question:283. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a teacher (details supplied) with a job sharing contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9814/16]
View answerTuesday, 17 May 2016
Questions (283)
Written answers
The Haddington Road agreement provided for the establishment of an Expert Group on Fixed-Term and Part-Time Employment in Primary and Second Level Education in Ireland. This group was chaired by Mr. Peter Ward SC, who consulted extensively with all the stakeholders and interested parties. The report was published in September 2014 and can be found on my Department's website at the following link – http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-Reports/Report-to-the-Minister-for-Education-and-Skills-of-the-Chairperson-of-the-Expert-Group-on-Fixed-Term-and-Part-Time-Employment-in-Primary-and-Second-Level-Education-in-Ireland.pdf.
The report recommended a suite of measures which will lead to more job security for fixed-term and part-time teachers. It recommended seven changes for implementation from the commencement of the 2015/16 school which my Department implemented. Circulars 23/2015 and 24/2015 detailing the arrangements and procedures for the implementation of the recommendations of the report were published on March 27th 2015 and are available on my Department's website at the following link - http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Employment- Terms-and-Conditions/Fixed-Term-Contracts.html.
One of the key features of the new procedures is that the qualification period for the granting of an initial Contract of Indefinite Duration (CID) is reduced from a period of continuous employment in excess of three years with the same employer to a period of continuous employment in excess of two years.
In their deliberations the expert group considered the issue of the exclusion from qualification for a CID of a teacher who is covering for another teacher absent on an approved scheme of leave of absence. The report recommended that a teacher covering for another teacher on career break or secondment should not be disqualified from entitlement to a CID on that ground. However the group having considered the issue of teachers covering for teachers who are job-sharing concluded that these teachers should not be included in this arrangement.
Individual teachers who wish to appeal the decision not to award them a CID or the terms of the CID awarded to them may submit an appeal to the independent Fixed-Term Adjudicator. The adjudication process is outlined in Circular 0050/2006 and is available on my Department's website at the following link – http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Employment-Terms-and-Conditions/Fixed-Term-Contracts.html.