Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022
604. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the steps that are being taken to ensure that replacement teachers and SNAs are available for schools where staff are out on sick leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55257/22]
View answerThe terms and conditions of the Sick Leave Scheme are contained in my Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019 (Chapter 1) for primary and post primary teachers and Circular 0060/2019 for SNAs. Where a teacher or SNA is absent on sick leave, the employer may appoint a substitute teacher or SNA, paid by my Department to cover the absence.
My Department runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of substitute teachers.
Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent an additional source of supply for substitute and full-time posts in 2022/23. Over 3,450 primary and post-primary NQTs have had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council this year to date with further applications currently in progress.
Significant additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution continue, bringing the total to 610 posts on 151 panels, covering approximately 2,800 schools. The supply panels work alongside the existing methods of sourcing substitute teachers and schools can also make local arrangements to have their own regular substitutes to call on if needed.
Sub Seeker, a central portal for short-term substitute vacancies, was jointly developed by IPPN / NAPD in accordance with my Department's Teacher Supply Action Plan and launched in December 2019. The portal matches available primary and post-primary teachers with short-term substitute vacancies. Almost 12,000 teachers have registered with Sub Seeker to date.
On a temporary basis for the 2022/23 school year, job sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity, during the period they are rostered off duty, in their own or in other schools
The limit on substitute work applying to teachers on career break has also been temporarily suspended for the 2022/23 school year.
The Teaching Council made regulations allowing for the registration of 3rd and 4th year undergraduate student teachers under a new registration route, Route 5 (Student Teachers). Approximately 1,300 student teachers applied for registration under the first cycle of Route 5 registrations. The second cycle of Route 5 registrations commenced in early October. Once registered with the Teaching Council, student teachers can be employed by a school to cover substitutable vacancies.
At post-primary level it has been decided to rollout a scheme that will provide for teachers to teach additional hours in their subject area over and above the current maximum 22-hour limit, similar to the scheme that applied in the 2021/22 school year but with some important modifications. It is planned to publish details of the new scheme after the October mid-term break.
My Department will continue, with the cooperation of the education partners, to develop and implement measures to address challenges faced by schools and to support the supply of teachers.
