John Connor
Ceist:360 Mr. Connor asked the Minister for Education the reason she has issued conflicting instructions on the filling of a vacant teaching post at Ballingar National School, County Roscommon; and if the post will be filled.
Written Answers. - Vacant Teaching Post.
In accordance with the Rules for National Schools when a vacancy arises in a national school, the board of management must fill the post from the diocesan panel. The board of management may only fill the post by open competition if the panel is clear. The chairman of the board of management of the school referred to by the Deputy was given permission to fill the post by open competition. At that time my Department had been informed that a teacher on the panel had been offered, and accepted a post, in another school. It subsequently transpired that this information was incorrect and the teacher was reinstated on the panel. Two teachers who had appealed for an exemption from the panel regulations were refused by my Department and were also reinstated on the panel. The board of management were informed that they could not proceed with an open competition as there were eligible teachers on the panel and were obliged to offer the post to one of the panel teachers.
I understand that the board of management have now offered the post to one of the panel teachers.