Peter Burke
Question:275. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on career breaks for teachers (details supplied). [51038/22]
View answerThursday, 13 October 2022
Questions (275)
Written answers
The terms and conditions of the Career Break Scheme for teachers are contained in my Department’s Circular Letter 54/2019 (Chapter 7). A Career Break is a period of unpaid special leave for not less than 1 school year. It may be extended on an annual basis provided the total period of the Career Break does not exceed 5 years at any one time, subject to an overall maximum of 10 years absence during a teacher’s career.
Under the Career Break Scheme, a teacher may not be employed in an approved teaching or special needs assistant post funded by monies provided by the Oireachtas. However, in exceptional circumstances, an employer may appoint a qualified teacher on Career Break for substitute teaching purposes subject to a maximum of (a) 90 days in a school year at primary level and (b) 300 hours in a school year at post primary level.
However, in response to teacher supply issues, my Department published Information Note TC 0010/2022 on 6th October 2022 to state for the 2022/23 school year, a teacher who is on a Career Break may be employed in a substitute capacity without any limits applied.