Vol. 482 No. 8
266 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason his Department reversed its decision to grant early retirement to a person (details supplied) under the terms of circular 25/97 in view of the fact that this application was entirely within the terms of the circular; the new conditions, if any, which have been imposed on applications over and above those in the circular; and, if so, whether he has agreed these with the Education Partners. [19302/97]
The terms of the scheme for early retirement are set out in Circular 25/97 which was issued to schools in June 1997, following consultation with the education partners. The circular specifies that strand three may be availed of by teachers in posts which are surplus to requirements, from which they may not be redeployed readily and which will not be filled should they leave the posts.
Whilst the circular makes no reference to career breaks it was intended that the provisions set out in the circuluar for early retirement were to be availed of by teachers in current teaching service. The education partners have been fully aware of my Department's position in this regard at all times through their membership of the early retirement consultative council and the early retirement advisory committee. I must add, however, that the teachers' unions have requested my Department to reconsider the policy and arrangements are being made for a meeting with them. The teacher referred to by the Deputy, who is on a career break from teaching, applied for early retirement on 26 June 1997 under strand three of the early retirement scheme for teachers. It is understood that she subsequently made contact by phone with my Department regarding her application. The Department's formal decision on her application, stating that she was ineligible for early retirement, was, in accordance with the provisions of the circular, conveyed on 29 August to both the teacher and her school.
