Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

Retirements at primary level since the introduction of the moratorium in March 2009 are 309 principals, 258 deputy principals, 141 assistant principals and 214 teachers with special duties posts of responsibility. The equivalent figures for the post-primary sector were approximately 100 principals, 75 deputy principals, 660 assistant principals and 150 teachers with special duties posts of responsibility. This is based on Department-held data with a pro rata adjustment to include VEC schools. Vacancies at assistant principal and special duties level arise due to retirements in these specific grades and typically also from the knock-on effects of filling principal and deputy principal posts.

On the introduction of the moratorium, the Government exempted principal and deputy principal appointments in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium therefore is limited to the assistant principal and special duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Unlike other areas of the public service, retirement vacancies are being filled and the schools' losses pertain to the capacity to make promotions by awarding the extra pay allowance to other teachers. The position whereby slightly more than 50% of all teachers have promotion allowances is simply not sustainable.

I recognise that the impact of the moratorium is uneven across schools and as I already have acknowledged, the impact is not simply due to the level of retirements but also is a consequence of promotions that are made to principal and deputy principal posts. Further retirements and promotions later this year will have a further impact on middle management posts. As I indicated earlier this week, I am prepared to consider this issue to ascertain what limited interim alleviation can be given to deal with those cases, while the overall number of promotion positions continues to reduce.

My Department, like others, is in discussions with the Department of Finance in respect of a public sector numbers control framework. It is only in the context of such a framework for the education sector and when an overall long-term reduction in the number of promotion allowances is brought about that the position of some individual schools can be addressed for September next.

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