Teacher Data

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 4 July 2018

Wednesday, 4 July 2018

Ceisteanna (208)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

208. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who in the most recent years for which statistics are available were in receipt of a principal teacher’s allowance throughout one school year and on the payroll but not in receipt of such an allowance in the subsequent school year; and if his attention has been drawn to evidence of greater numbers of principal teachers relinquishing their roles and links between this and increased regulatory and other administrative responsibilities. [29509/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Principal teachers are employed by the managerial authorities of their schools and the information required for their payment on payrolls operated by my Department is provided by them.  The information is provided on standardised forms which are completed by authorized representatives in the school.

A Data Protection Privacy Statement is included on these forms. The Data Statement outlines that the main purpose for which my Department requires the personal data provided is the payment of wages. It is also required for the payment of pension at retirement.

The information is retained on databases to ensure the correct payment of the teaching staff paid by my Department and employed in the schools on an ongoing basis.

The information requested by the Deputy could only be obtained from these databases. A statistical analysis of the aggregated data requested for voluntary secondary community and comprehensive schools indicated that less than one per cent of individuals who continued in teaching were paid the allowance in one school year and not in the next.