Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 30 July 2020
662. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and second-level teachers who were placed on sick leave due to stress or mental illness in each of the years from 2015 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the proportion this represents of the number of primary and second-level teachers in each year, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19858/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to teachers my Department is not the employer. The employer is the Education and Training Board (ETB) for vocational schools/community colleges, community national schools and the Board of Management/Manager in the case of primary (excluding community national schools) voluntary secondary, community and comprehensive schools.
The provisions of the Sick Leave Scheme for Registered Teachers employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools are contained in Chapter 1 of my Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019 which issued on 01 September 2019 and is published on my Department's website.
Under the Scheme a teacher is not obliged to provide the nature of the illness on a medical certificate when furnishing it to his/her employer.
In any event as medical records are retained by schools and ETBs the information sought by the Deputy is not available in my Department.
Under the Data Protection Acts and the General Data Protection Regulations, the nature of illness is considered medical data and falls into special category personal data.
