Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 April 2012
84 Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of compliance with Circular 0031/2011 which was issued last July to discourage retired teachers getting new posts; if whistleblowers can be facilitated with respect to reporting such appointments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20835/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraCircular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers over retired registered teachers, and registered teachers over unregistered persons.
Each principal must report to his or her board of management on a regular basis on the fact that a list of unemployed registered teachers is being maintained, and the circumstances in which he or she has had to engage a registered teacher in receipt of a pension under a public service pension scheme or an unregistered person. Records relating to recruitment and appointment must be made available by the school for inspection by the Department and a copy of such a record must be furnished to the Department upon a request being made for this. The Department has recently initiated a review of compliance with the procedures outlined in 31/2011. Following a random sample of 103 schools, data have been collated in respect of 99 schools. In these 99 schools a total of 736 appointments were made in 2011/12, 12 retired teachers were appointed to cover short-term appointments which equates to 1.6% of the appointments made. A further 5 appointments of retired teachers were made in accordance with the Department's measure to permit the re-employment of teachers who retired between 1 December 2011 and 29 February 2012 and who, immediately before their retirement, had been teaching students preparing to sit the Junior or Leaving Certificate in 2012.
