Brendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if late applications will be accepted for access to the supplementary panel for eligible fixed term/temporary including substitutes and part-time primary teachers for the 2013/2014 school year; if such requests will be given urgent consideration in view of the fact that this was a new application process; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that his Department was informed that a small number of applications were received late due to illness of the applicants at the closing date of the 14 December 2012; if this matter will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4995/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. The application process for the supplementary panels was introduced for the 2012/13 school year.

The arrangements for panel access for fixed term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers for the 2013/14 school year are set out in Department Circular 0038/2012 which was published on 9 November 2012 and is available on the Department website. The period for submitting applications was between 9 November 2012 and 14 December 2012. The Circular made clear that late applications would not be considered. My Department has received a number of applications after the closing date which will not be processed.