Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 10 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 7

Written Answers. - Second Level Teachers.

Dan Wallace

Ceist:

66 Mr. D. Wallace asked the Minister for Education if she will give details of the agreement between her Department and the teaching unions in relation to the granting of incremental credits to secondary teachers for previous work experience. [18111/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach):

Advancement on the teachers' incremental salary scale is governed by Agreed Reports of the Teachers' Conciliation Council.

There is transferability of incremental credit between the primary and second level sectors and within the second level sector. Incremental credit may be awarded to a secondary teacher in respect of the following: approved teaching service given either in Ireland or abroad subject to the teacher having been recognised as a fully qualified teacher at the time the service was rendered; approved teaching service abroad up to a maximum of seven years, subject to a maximum of four years in respect of service given prior to 1 June 1979; previous teaching service in a non-incremental capacity in a second level school provided that the service was given in the same school for a full school year, the service was given to a fully qualified capacity and the teacher was timetabled for the required minimum number of hours in the school year; any type of service, teaching or otherwise, given in Third World countries provided that the service in question has been verified by a recognised agency for such service; non-teaching experience provided that the experience is of direct relevance to the subject area of the teaching post involved and that the experience was gained in a fully qualified capacity for which remuneration was received and subject to a maximum credit for five years.

Credit for full-time teaching service in Ireland, including Northern Ireland, is awarded on a year-for-year basis. Service given as a qualified eligible part-time teacher is credited on apro rata basis.

The maximum credit for a combination of teaching service abroad and/or Third World service and/or relevant non-teaching experience is seven years.