Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 188: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35864/10]

Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 189: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if the moratorium on assistant principals in large primary schools has been alleviated and whether or not the two vacant posts lost since 2009 at a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow will be re-instated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35888/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 189 and 188 together. When the moratorium was introduced the Government 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 extra pay allowance to another teacher. The position whereby around 50% of all teachers have promotion allowances is simply not sustainable. 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 Department Circular 42/2010. Applications for alleviation have also been received from over 110 primary schools and these are currently being examined and prioritised and the schools will be advised of the outcome in the coming weeks.