Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 81: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the implementation to date of his Department circular 0031/2011. [26036/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers over retired registered teachers and registered teachers over unregistered persons.

Each principal must report to his or her board of management on a regular basis on the fact that a list of unemployed registered teachers is being maintained, and the circumstances in which he or she has had to engage a registered teacher in receipt of a pension under a public service pension scheme or an unregistered person. Records relating to recruitment and appointment must be made available by the school for inspection by the Department and a copy of such a record must be furnished to the Department upon a request being made for this. The Department has recently carried out a review of compliance with the procedures outlined in Circular 31/2011. 103 schools were randomly selected for review. In these 103 schools a total of 781 appointments were made in 2011/12. In the case of 707 appointments, the teachers were appropriately qualified and registered. This represents 91% of these appointments. 24 appointments, or 3%, related to unregistered and unqualified people. 14 retired teachers were appointed to cover short-term appointments which equates to 1.79% of the appointments made.

A further 6 appointments of retired teachers were made in accordance with the Department's measure to permit the re-employment of teachers who retired between 1 December 2011 and 29 February 2012 and who, immediately before their retirement, had been teaching students preparing to sit the Junior or Leaving Certificate in 2012. This once-off alleviation measure was permitted in recognition of the additional pressure of students facing State examinations, and the concerns of teachers who wished to ensure continuity of support for these children.