Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way he justifies the suspension of allowances for newly qualified teachers; his views that as a result of this cut he has created a fourth tier within the one system: pre-January 2011 rate, post-January 2011, pre-December 2011 rate and post-February 2012 rate; his views on the negative impact this will have on attracting talent to the teaching profession and that this will deter many from entering the teaching profession; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12134/12]

Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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Question 185: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give consideration to the issues raised regarding the allowances payable to new entrants to the teaching profession (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12643/12]

Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)
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Question 186: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he recognises the inequality of budget 2012 for newly qualified teachers, some whom might be earning €11,000 less than if they were qualified two years earlier, and who are expected to perform yard duties unpaid alongside colleagues who will be paid and may not receive additional pay for teaching in a gaelscoil or in a Gaeltacht area; the reason a tiered system based on date of entry was not put in place or a phasing out of allowances rather than an immediate cut to those newly qualified teachers who paid full fees for their degrees and who face difficulties finding teaching work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12650/12]

Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 197: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding newly qualified teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12768/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 140, 185, 186 and 197 together.

A public service-wide review of allowances, announced by the Government as part of Budget 2012, is currently being led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Under Circular 70/2011 teachers who had been engaged in a public sector teaching post on or before 4 December 2011 are eligible to retain the qualification allowances they were entitled to be in receipt of on that date. Such teachers will not be paid any additional allowance where they acquire any further qualification on or after 5 December 2011. The position of teachers who, on 5 December 2011, were undertaking courses will be considered in the context of the review. Teachers who were appointed to teaching for the first time on or after 5 December 2011 but before 1 February 2012 are eligible for allowances on the basis of their qualifications at entry to the profession up to a maximum of the allowance which had been applicable to an honours primary degree.

Circular 3/2012 provides that allowances are not payable to new beneficiaries; i.e. those who become eligible for receipt of the allowance in question on or after 1 February 2012. Examples of such allowances include any form of qualification allowance or the supervision and substitution payment paid to teachers, and the secretary to the Board of Management allowance paid to school principals. The only exceptions to this prohibition are principal and deputy principal allowances.

These decisions were taken pending the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances due to the upward pressure on the cost of teacher allowances. Without immediate action, this upward pressure would have cancelled out the savings made elsewhere in the education system and would bring about even harsher adjustments to schools and services. I am not in a position to comment further on the position in relation to teacher allowances until the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances is known.