Michael McCarthy (Cork South West, Labour)
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276. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps and intervention he is taking in the case of a school (details supplied) in County Louth which currently employs a retired teacher for a prolonged time since September 2013; and also employed another retired teacher on a long term basis in the past year [45701/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. It is important to note that schools themselves employ teachers and not the the Department of Education and Skills.

However my Department has issued a number of circulars addressing this issue in recent years. Under these circulars school Principal's must maintain a list of unemployed registered teachers and report to the Board of Management on any exceptional occasion where they have to engage a registered teacher who is retired. Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising registered teachers over retired registered teachers and unregistered people.

A retired teacher who returns to teaching on or after 1 February 2012 will commence at the first point of the incremental salary scale. Incremental credit for service prior to 1 February 2012, qualification allowances and certain job role allowances are also not payable. This measure represents a significant financial disincentive for teachers who retired at the top of their salary scale, often with a post of responsibility allowance, to return to teaching.

The first point of the teacher's salary scale represents the lowest point or starting salary for teachers. Thus it was decided that retired teachers would be placed at that point of the scale.

In the light of the information provided by the Deputy my Department will seek a report from the school regarding their implementation of Circular 31/2011.