Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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Question 248: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Science the position regarding the decision on the teacher supply panel; if it will cause significant problems for children in our most deprived areas; if the panel provides consistency of learning in such areas; if teacher absenteeism is higher in deprived areas; if it has historically proved more difficult to get substitute teachers in such areas; if abolishing the panel may result in unqualified substitute teachers being employed without Garda vetting approval; the discussions she has had with teacher unions; the result of same; the number of teachers that are selected; if a substitute can pick and choose; the number of substitutes that are on the available panel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13501/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The supply teacher scheme was initially set up at primary level over 15 years ago at a time when schools had difficulty getting substitute teachers. The supply scheme operates on the basis of an additional full-time teacher being allocated to a school to cover certified sick leave absences in that school and a cluster of neighbouring schools. If the teacher is not required on a given day to cover sick leave absences they generally assist with other work in their school such as administrative duties. There are 60 posts allocated to the scheme.

A value for money review of the Supply Teacher Scheme was published in July 2006. The review found that approximately 60% of these teachers' time was used to cover sick leave absences with the balance on various other school duties. This reflects the unpredictable nature of sick leave absences.

In relation to the Supply Teacher Scheme, while there are benefits for schools in having these full-time teachers it is considered more cost effective to use the normal substitution arrangements that apply to all other schools to cover sick leave absences instead of having a cohort of full-time teachers "on call" all the time in these schools to cover sick leave absences that may or may not arise.

The employment and appointment of all teachers is a matter for each individual school board of management. The arrangements for vetting of teaching and non-teaching staff are set out in Department Circular 0094/2006 which issued to all schools in June 2006. The Circular is available on my Department's website.

There has been ongoing engagement and discussion with the relevant education partners involving my predecessor and/or my senior officials concerning general education matters and specific budgetary matters.

The supply teacher scheme will cease from the start of the 2010/11 school year. The teachers concerned will be redeployed in accordance with the existing redeployment arrangements to other schools that have vacancies.

Due to industrial action on the part of some staff in the Department of Education and Science, I am not in a position to give the full details sought by the Deputy.