Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will read the reply given in response to a parliamentary question asked by a Deputy on this matter. It reads:

Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers over retired registered teachers and registered teachers over unregistered people. It is important to note that boards of management of schools and vocational education committees employ teachers and not the Department of Education and Skills.
Under the current Circulars, 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.

From January 2011 teachers who are in receipt of a pension and who return to teaching are remunerated at the first point of the relevant salary scales applicable to new entrants. [This was not always the case, in that they returned at the top of the scale.] This represents a significant financial disincentive for teachers who retired at the top of their salary scale, often with a post of responsibility allowance, to return to teaching.

The Department monitors the engagement of retired teachers in schools. Where there is a long-term engagement of such teachers, the schools are written to and reminded of the provisions of circular 31/2011. The remainder of the reply is not relevant to this specific case.