Vol. 400 No. 6
48 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for Education the reason a person (details supplied) in County Limerick is not considered suitable for inclusion on the panel for redeployable teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
49 Mr. Noonan (Limerick East) asked the Minister for Education the conditions which need to be fulfilled by an applicant who wishes to have his name included on the panel for redeployable teachers; and if she will make a statement on the scope, purpose and eligibility conditions of the scheme.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 48 and 49 together.
A redeployment scheme for lay teachers in Catholic secondary schools exists as a result of an agreement between the religious-clerical authorities of these schools and the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland.
The agreement establishes that permanent lay teachers may be redeployed to full-time teaching posts within a 30 mile radius, where the number of teachers who may be paid incremental salary is required to be reduced in accordance with the regulations in force, or in the event of a school being closed.
The scheme is managed by an administrator, appointed jointly by the management authorities and the ASTI.
In addition to this, the agreement also allows for teachers who are not over quota in their schools to apply to the administrator of the scheme for inclusion on the panel for redeployment, in exceptional circumstances. The person referred to by the Deputy falls into this category. The scheme stipulates that the inclusion of such a person on the panel shall be at the discretion of the administrator and I have no function in this matter.
