Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 271: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that an allowance is no longer paid to teachers on gaining a masters qualification; if an allowance will be awarded in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork who completed most of the masters programme in 2008/9 but who, for good reason, was unable to submit the dissertation and to complete the degree before now; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20380/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As a result of Budget 2012, Circular 70/2011 provides that 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 public service-wide review of allowances being led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The person to whom the Deputy refers was employed in a public service teaching post before 4 December 2011 and any decision in relation to a degree allowance must be taken in the context of Budget 2012 and must be based on the actual date on which a qualification was awarded. I am not in a position to comment further until the outcome of the review is known.