I propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 109 together.
The decision to approve a job-sharing or career break application is a matter for the authorities of the employing school. In schools that have over-quota teachers, applications for job-sharing and a career break may be considered by the authorities of the schools concerned in the normal way. However if the school is over its staffing allocation the established rules do not allow for the automatic replacement of teachers approved for job-share or career break arrangements. It is, of course, open to the school authority to apply to my Department for additional teaching hours by way of curricular concessions to cover part or all of the hours in respect of an approved job-sharer/career break teacher. Each such application is considered on its merits. This position is no different from that pertaining in previous years.
Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
The criteria for the allocation of teaching posts at post-primary level, including the appeals mechanism, for the coming school year will be published shortly on my Department's website.
