Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 5 November 2020
142. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the situation pertaining to 17 Irish teachers that are owed money by a school (details supplied); if this school is recognised by her Department; if the service of these teachers will be recognised as service for pay purposes for those teachers now teaching in the Irish education system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34207/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school the Deputy refers to is a private educational institution located abroad. The Irish Leaving Certificate examination is offered each year to candidates in the school. The role of the State Examinations Commission (SEC) is to provide examinations to candidates who have been entered for either the Junior or Leaving Certificate.
Teachers working at this school are directly recruited and engaged as employees of that school. Their terms and conditions of employment including pay are private contractual matters between themselves and the school authorities. My Department has no role in relation to internal management or contractual issues between this school’s employees and their employers.
Regarding pay - the rules for pay for registered qualified teachers in an Oireachtas funded post are as follows:
A person first appointed to an Oireachtas funded teaching post before 1 January 2011 whose date of first qualified teaching service is -
(a) before 5 December 2011, will be paid on the pre-2011 qualified pay scale and the qualification allowances applicable to that scale,
(b) between 5 December 2011 and 28 April 2013, will be paid on pre-2011 pay scale and qualification allowances applicable to that scale subject to the maximum value of the honours primary degree allowance applicable to that scale, or
(c) On or after 29 April 2013, will be paid on the 1 February 2012 pay scale with no qualification allowances.
A teacher who has service abroad may be eligible to apply for Incremental Credit. The criteria for the award of Incremental Credit, for previous teaching experience, to recognised post-primary teachers is outlined in Circular 29/2007 and 10/2001 for primary teachers, and was agreed in the first instance, by the Teacher Conciliation Council (TCC). This Council is comprised of representatives of the teacher unions, school management bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education & Skills chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.
Currently, a maximum of seven years incremental credit may be awarded for approved teaching service, given in approved schools outside the European Union, as per Circulars 10/2001 and 29/2007.
