Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 561: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will approve incremental credit and pension rights for substitute service undertaken by qualified BEd/NTs prior 2001; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12421/07]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North, Fine Gael)
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Question 635: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will approve incremental credit and pension rights for substitute service undertaken by qualified Bachelor of Education and national teachers between the years 1985 to 2001; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12956/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 561 and 635 together.

The criteria for the award of incremental credit are outlined in Primary Circular 10/01 – Amendments to the Scheme for the Award of Incremental Credit, which is available from Primary Payments Section of my Department or on my Department's website. The scheme provides that all permanent teachers appointed or re-appointed after 1 September 1998, who have given service as substitute teachers in primary schools within the Republic of Ireland since 1 September 1985 are awarded incremental credit subject to a maximum of 2 years. Only substitute service given after the date of probation may be considered. The forum for dealing with claims for improvements to conditions of service for teachers is the Teachers Conciliation Council. I understand that a claim for improvements in the arrangements for the award of incremental credit is currently before the Council. Pending the outcome of consideration of that claim, I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for me to comment further on the matter. Provision exists for the reckoning for pension purposes of substitute service given as a qualified teacher where that service reaches specific thresholds. This provision applies to substitute service given since 1991. The service may be reckoned following appointment to a permanent teaching post and is subject to the payment of appropriate pension contributions. Revised arrangements for reckoning substitute service for pension purposes, arising from recent pension reforms, are being finalised. These arrangements will apply to substitute service given at any time prior to 1 September 2001 in the case of teachers in service on or after that date. A circular outlining the detailed arrangements is in course of preparation and it is expected that it will be issued to schools later this year.