Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 December 2007
460 Deputy Michael Noonan asked the Minister for Education and Science if there are steps a person (details supplied) in County Limerick can take to return to teaching; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35559/07]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a number of defined situations where a retired teacher may be prevented or restricted from returning to teach.
Firstly, where a teacher retires under the early retirement scheme for teachers, he or she is subject to certain conditions. Where he or she retires because of professional difficulties or where his or her retirement provides the school with an opportunity to enhance the education service they provide through facilitating change, then he or she is precluded from returning to teaching. However, if a teacher retires under the scheme on the basis that he or she is surplus to requirements, he or she can continue to teach without affecting his or her pension provided that the employment is as a substitute or part-time teacher and is undertaken on an intermittent or casual basis. It is permissible for the employment to take place on a more regular or structured basis, but this would cause the pension to be stopped.
Secondly, where a teacher retires on ill health grounds he or she cannot return to teaching unless he or she is medically certified as fit to resume teaching duties. This may impact on his or her award of added years under the ill health retirement provisions.
Outside of these areas, a teacher is free to return to teach but his or her pension will be subject to the normal rules of abatement which may require his or her pension to be reduced or stopped depending on the level of salary he or she is in receipt of. If the Deputy wishes to write to me with full details of the person in question, I would be happy to have my officials provide a reply specifically addressing his circumstances.
