asked the Minister for Education the personnel and welfare services which are available from her Department to primary and post-primary teachers.
Written Answers. - Teachers' Personnel and Welfare Services.
83.
National teachers are employed locally by school boards of management subject to approval by my Department, and their conditions of employment are governed by the Rules and Regulations for National Schools. They are compulsorily insurable under an occupational pension scheme and are insurable under the PRSI scheme at a modified rate which entitles them to limited eligibility for health services, occupational injuries benefits, deserted wife's benefits, and widows' and orphan's pension benefits. Membership of an occupational spouses' and children's pension scheme is optional for certain teachers already in service but is compulsory for all new appointments. While there are a number of structures in existence to provide educational support services to teachers there is no special scheme to provide a welfare service.
Post-primary teachers are not employed by my Department but by the managerial authorities of the various schools. The personnel and welfare services available to those teachers would be a matter in the first instance for each managerial authority. The assistance and advice of my Department's inspectors and psychologists are of course, available, where appropriate.