Rónán Mullen (Independent)

Am I right in thinking the Minister is saying that this is embedding the terms of the Croke Park agreement in the legislation by putting the redeployment procedures on a statutory footing? I am opposed to putting redeployment procedures on a statutory footing in this way. To quote by beloved father, "I am cutting stubbles here"; we are both cutting stubbles in revisiting ground that has already been travelled. This is something that is at best a temporary solution. There is something imperfect about the concept of redeployment panels for all the reasons I have given in that they raise questions about what is ultimately being prioritised, the best person for the job or the need to keep people in employment. I am sympathetic to the need for some kind of a balance there. We want to act justly towards people who are competent teachers and find themselves surplus to requirements in a school. They have to be looked after as far as possible but there is the balancing issue of the right of boards of management and of the other parties in education, but specifically boards of management, to appoint the best person for the job. Those are the issues that are in tension sometimes.