Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 April 2024
328. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the reasons data is not collated on unfulfilled teaching positions; how the lack of collated data impacts on her ability to assess the impact of shortages on the provision of education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19258/24]
View answerThe recruitment and appointment of?teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In that regard, there are more than 3,700 individual employers (boards of management of primary schools and post-primary schools, as well as ETBs).
My Department intends to finalise an updated model on the demand for teachers in 2024. Additionally, a project initiated in 2023 which seeks to monitor vacant permanent and fixed-term positions within the system remains ongoing. This project continues to gather and analyse data while refining methodologies to ensure the reliability of data.
In circumstances where posts are unfilled for a period of time, or where a vacancy arises in a school due to a teacher taking leave, such vacancies may be filled by substitute teachers, on either a casual or non-casual contract basis.
Substitutable leave absences may be filled by schools in several ways. A substitute teacher may be recruited locally by a school, and a claim for payment for the teacher may be submitted to my Department, via the Online Claims System. Alternatively, the absence may be covered by schools under a number of schemes, which are managed locally by schools.
The Supervision and Substitution Scheme in primary and post-primary schools allows for the supervision of students during breaks and before and after school and allows for substitution to cover certain categories of teacher absences. With effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme is compulsory for teachers, save for those who had availed of the opt-out arrangements before this date.
All schools therefore provide cover for a significant number of substitutable absences, arising over the school year, through the Supervision and Substitution scheme.
For primary schools, substitute teacher supply panels are also in place. For the 2023/24 school year, 590 substitute teacher supply posts have been allocated to 166 panels, covering nearly 2,900 schools. This scheme provides substitute cover for teachers employed in primary schools who are absent on short-term leave. Absences covered by the teacher supply panels are recorded locally by the schools and the schools are not required to claim for the substitutable leave to my Department.
For post-primary schools, Circular 0035/2023 provides for a Teaching Hours Extension scheme to be in place for the 2023/24 school year. This scheme provides post-primary schools with an alternative means of sourcing appropriately qualified substitute teaching cover to support teaching and learning in schools. Teachers on full teaching contracts of 22 hours can provide additional substitution cover, of up to 35 additional hours, for each term designated under the scheme. Absences covered under this scheme are also recorded locally by the schools and the schools are not required to claim for the substitutable leaves covered by this scheme to my Department.
The vast majority of sanctioned teacher positions are filled. The rate of resignation and retirement is very low by any standard and is consistent with previous years.
Ireland’s education system is performing strongly, something that is supported by recent international testing. That is a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of our teachers. We need to continue to support our schools and maintain the high standards that have helped get us to where we are.
