Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 455: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her view on the case being taken by Protestant schools against her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35521/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Public Service Modernisation section of Towards 2016 it was agreed that new arrangements would be made for the redeployment of surplus teachers in second level schools. The agreement recognised that the effective use of resources is essential for the provision of high quality public services and that effective and efficient arrangements needed to be in place to deal with the redeployment of teachers who are surplus to the requirements of individual schools or who would otherwise be redundant where schools close.

Towards 2016 covers all teachers in publicly funded posts and the pay rises under the agreement were contingent on agreement being reached on a new redeployment scheme. Agreement was reached within the Teachers' Conciliation Council which is the normal industrial relations forum for teachers in schools and the management interests of all second level schools are a parties at the Council.

A number of Protestant schools have objected to the scheme and have commenced proceedings in the High Court. As this matter is currently before the Courts it is sub judice and therefore it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further at this time.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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Question 456: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the criteria used in making decisions on the promotion of teachers from B posts to A posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35522/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Circular Letter 6/98, issued by my Department in February 1998, sets out the schedule of assistant principal and special duties teacher posts in voluntary secondary schools as agreed between the respective management bodies, the teacher unions and my Department. Circular 5/98, also issued by my Department in February 1998, sets out the agreed national criteria for the level and types of duties for the posts of assistant principal and special duties teachers.

In relation to posts of responsibility in primary schools Primary Circular 07/03 governs the appointment of teachers to posts of responsibility in primary schools and related issues while Appendix D of the annual Primary Staffing Schedule (Primary Circular 0020/2007 for the current school year) outlines school entitlements to posts of responsibility based on the number of mainstream class teachers.