Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 127: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the situation regarding access rights for teachers to the supplementary panel; the reason he has decided to change the criteria which previously permitted the requisite three years to consist of teaching experience acquired through parental leave, maternity leave and fixed term contracts but is now prioritising fixed term contract holders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8446/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Department has not made changes to the supplementary panel which is made up of teachers with fixed term and/or substitute service. My Department has prioritised permanent and contract of indefinite duration (CID) holding teachers within the main redeployment panels so that all vacancies are offered in the first instance to these teachers. The purpose of this is to maximise the opportunities for the redeployment of these permanent and CID holding teachers.

The process of allocating teaching resources to schools for 2011/2012 and the arrangements for filling vacant or new teaching posts takes place in the context of the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland and the Public Service Agreement 2010/2014. It is necessary for my Department to exercise additional control and reporting measures this year to ensure that the numbers of teachers employed in schools is consistent with the EU/IMF Programme of Support for Ireland. It is the intention of the Department to restore recruitment from fixed-term teachers on the main panels, supplementary panels or public advertisement at the earliest possible opportunity, after all the surplus permanent teachers have been redeployed.

Jerry Buttimer (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 128: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the vacant post of director of adult education in a school (details supplied) in County Cork will be filled. [8463/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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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 Director of Adult Education, Assistant Principal and Special Duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Vacancies at this level arise due to retirements in the specific grades and typically also from the knock on effect of filling Principal and Deputy Principal posts.

Some further limited alleviation was introduced for schools that are acutely affected by the impact of the moratorium. The alleviation arrangements are set out in Circular 42/2010. Most of the alleviation arrangements are already in place. Any remaining applications, which include the school referred to by the Deputy, will be examined and prioritised as soon as possible. Individual schools will be notified in due course.