Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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114. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who availed of the voluntary redundancy scheme in 2013 and 2014; and if these teachers were primary, secondary, or third level, in tabular form. [4017/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Government decided in late 2012 that voluntary redundancy can be introduced in certain targeted sections of the public service where staff surpluses are identified by management and where redeployment is not suitable. The purpose of the scheme is to assist Government in implementing restructuring and reform in a strategic and targeted manner. In terms of my own Department, there is currently no Voluntary Redundancy scheme in operation for teachers and none is planned.

However, it should be noted that the Teaching Council Act 2001, as enacted by the Oireachtas, provides for the regulation of the teaching profession. A primary function of the Council is to maintain the register of teachers and to determine the requirements for entry onto the Register. Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act provides that only registered teachers should be paid from Oireachtas-voted funds.

My predecessor as Minister for Education and Skills, Mr. Ruairí Quinn, TD signed the commencement order on 1 November 2013 for section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 to become operational from 28 January 2014. From that date, regulations now govern the limited conditions under which an unregistered person may be employed where a registered teacher is not available.

Circular 52/2013 which was issued by my Department and which is available at the following link provided details of the procedures to be followed by school managerial authorities and Education and Training Boards on commencement of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act.

A number of options were made available for people employed as teachers in a permanent/CID capacity in recognised schools who were not eligible for registration and who would be unregistered with the Teaching Council on or after 28 January 2014. These were outlined in Circular letter 52/2013 as follows:

"Where staff cannot be reclassified they will have the option of availing of one of the following:

(a) Teaching Council Non Registration (TCNR) leave, subject to a maximum duration of 6 years, or

(b) Voluntary redundancy in accordance with the terms of the Collective Agreement Redundancy Payments to Public Servants (June 2012), or

(c) Redeployment to non-teacher posts for such persons who are comprehended by the Haddington Road Agreement.

Twelve (12) staff who were employed as teachers in a permanent/CID capacity in recognised schools prior to the introduction of Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act on 28 January 2014 opted to avail of the voluntary redundancy option that was made available to them at that time.