Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 November 2021
108. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education if she will consider, in view of the severe shortage of substitute teachers available, putting forward members of the inspectorate as well as teachers currently in seconded positions for the next three months as members of the substitute panel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57881/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing ongoing engagement between the Department of Education and the education stakeholders on issues raised about the difficulty accessing substitutes for teacher absences at this time I made an announcement yesterday about additional temporary measures put in place in the context of COVID-19 to assist with the availability of substitutes until the February mid-term break.
The following additional temporary arrangements have been put in place:
Student teachers
Following positive engagement with the Higher Education Institutions who provide primary initial teacher education programmes they have agreed to facilitate release of PME and B.Ed. year 3 and year 4 students to support schools up to the end of term.
Retired teachers
Retired teachers returning to classrooms until the end of the current school term will not have their pension abated.
Qualified Teachers on secondment to the Department’s Teacher Education Support Services
The Teacher Education support services funded by the Department have been asked to release teachers who are on secondment to make themselves available to provide substitute cover in schools.
Supply Panels:
In the context of the current substitute supply issues particularly in certain areas, a further 200 posts, in addition to the 480 posts already sanctioned, are to provide substitute cover to primary schools as part of the Primary Schools Substitute Teacher Supply Panels.
The Inspectorate has adjusted its inspection programme in light of the current situation in schools and an information note was published today giving details of changes to its work in schools. The Inspectorate must continue to carry out inspections that are required under legislation and to assure the quality of provision for vulnerable learners. This means that it must continue to carry out child protection inspections, which monitor the implementation of the Department’s Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools 2017 in fulfilment of the Minister’s obligations under the Children First Act 2015; inspections of schools located in Special Care Units and Child Detention Centres where educational provision is made available to children who are detained under court orders (these facilities are inspected annually because of the high vulnerability of the learners concerned); essential follow-up inspections to monitor the implementation of urgent recommendations arising from previous child protection and other inspections; and urgent emergency visits to schools. The Inspectorate is also required to carry out visits to monitor the implementation of anti-Covid measures that ensure that schools are safe working and learning environments (these inspections are required under the national "Work Safely Protocol COVID-19 National Protocol for Employers and Workers" and reported upon regularly to the Health and Safety Authority and the Department of An Taoiseach. The Inspectorate and the Department are also keeping under review a range of other measures though which inspectors will support the continued provision of schooling in the school system.
