Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

Retirements at primary level since the introduction of the moratorium in March 2009 were 458 principals, 386 deputy principals, 211 assistant principals and 343 teachers with special duties posts of responsibility. The equivalent figures for the post primary sector were approximately 159 principals, 132 deputy principals, 1,172 assistant principals and 302 teachers with special duties posts of responsibility. This is based on Department-held data with a pro rata adjustment to include VEC schools.

Unlike other areas of the public service, teaching vacancies continue to be filled in schools. When the moratorium was introduced by the Government, it exempted principal and deputy principal posts in all primary and post primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is, therefore, limited to the assistant principal and special duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Vacancies at assistant principal and special duties level arise due to retirements in these specific grades and typically also from the knock-on effect of filling principal and deputy principal posts. What the school loses is the capacity to make a promotion by awarding the additional allowances to another teacher.

The position whereby almost 50% of all teachers have promotion allowances is simply not sustainable. It is a matter for each school authority to re-organise and prioritise the appropriate duties for post of responsibility holders in the context of implementing this moratorium.

Some further limited alleviation was announced in July for schools that are acutely affected by the impact of the moratorium at assistant principal level. The alleviation arrangements are set out in the published circular 42/2010, which provides some delegated sanction for post primary schools to fill assistant principal vacancies if they fall below certain minimum thresholds. The filling of these posts will be notified by the relevant post primary schools in the coming weeks. At this stage, the Department has been notified in respect of the filling of 39 assistant principal posts. Applications for alleviation in respect of 57 programme co-ordinator posts and 18 director of adult education posts have resulted in 25 of these posts being filled. Applications for alleviation have also been received from more than 120 primary schools and these are currently being examined and prioritised, and the schools will be advised of the outcome in the coming weeks.

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