Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the practice of recruiting substitute teachers to fill temporary vacancies of those employed to operate the oral examination components of the various language subjects at leaving certificate level can be reviewed with the aim of ensuring both experience gaining and employment opportunities are made available for young, graduate or jobseeking teachers. [2569/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Substitute vacancies, however they may arise, must be filled in accordance with agreed recruitment procedures. Circular 31/2011 issued in Summer 2011 and set down rules in this regard which are applicable to all appointments made on or after 1 September 2011. Schools are required to keep a list of those appropriately qualified registered teachers who inform the school that they are available for substitute teaching work. Teachers who are in receipt of an occupational pension must be excluded from this list, thereby prioritising unemployed teachers over those in receipt of a pension. Where the school wishes to source a teacher for short-term substitution duties then the above list or national services such as SubSearch or TextaSub should be utilised to source a registered teacher who is not in receipt of an occupational pension. Only where an appropriately qualified registered teacher who is not retired is unavailable should the school move to employ an appropriately qualified and registered retired teacher. The regulations seek to provide the greatest possible opportunity for unemployed and newly qualified teachers while safeguarding the policy of the Department which is that, to the greatest extent possible, only appropriately qualified and registered teachers should be employed in our schools.