Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of teachers who have applied to retire by 29 February; the number of these who will be re-employed by post primary schools following their retirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2920/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A total of 798 primary and 582 secondary community and comprehensive school teachers have applied to my Department for benefits on retirement in the period 1 December 2011 to 29 February 2012. Of these, 935 have given a February 2012 retirement date, with the breakdown in February between the levels as follows: 520 in primary and 415 in secondary, community and comprehensive school teacher. In addition, information provided to my Department from VECs in December 2011 indicates that 217 teachers employed in vocational schools and community colleges had, at that time, given expressions of interests in retiring before 29 February 2012.

I announced measures in November 2011 permitting post-primary schools to re-employ teachers who retire between 1 December 2011 and 29 February 2012 and who, immediately before their retirement, have been teaching students preparing to sit the Junior or Leaving Certificate examinations in 2012. These teachers may be re-employed until the summer holidays for the teaching duties for which they were timetabled immediately before their retirement. I do not have information of the numbers of retirees who will be re-employed under these special arrangements as it will be a matter for the school and teacher concerned to decide if they wish to avail of them.