Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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158. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 180 of 7 May 2015, if she will provide details of the process to grant exemptions to the five-year secondment limit to the directors of education centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21167/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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159. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there has been a cost-benefit analysis regarding the Professional Development Service for Teachers secondees who have been informed by the teacher education section that their secondment is to end; the criteria that were used for the application of derogations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21168/15]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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160. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will meet with a person (details supplied) with a view to addressing concerns regarding the Professional Development Service for Teachers secondees, who have been informed by the teacher education section that their secondment is to end; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21169/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 158, 159 and 160 together.

My Department, through the teacher support services and education centres, engages teachers on a full time basis annually for the provision of CPD through secondment from their schools. These secondments are subject to annual review. The arrangements provide flexibility and ensure that the in-service needs of teachers and other support priorities of the school system can be met within the resources available.

Having teachers with relevant and recent teaching experience and expertise is a key requirement for the role. It is a condition therefore that the maximum length of time that a teacher may be on secondment is five years, following which they return to their teaching roles within their schools. In this way, their expertise and knowledge is not lost to the system.

These teacher secondment arrangements were disseminated extensively so the necessary planning could take place at all levels including education centres, support services, school boards of management and individual teacher.

Overall, secondment numbers available to my Department are limited and HR planning to meet business needs in terms of supporting national priorities is essential.

The support services, including PDST, have engaged in succession planning as a key strategy in ensuring continued support for teachers and school leaders in implementing national education policy priorities and CPD and which allows for continuity, quality planning and management.

A limited alleviation of the application of the five year limit, where required, has been agreed to allow secondees to serve for a further limited period. It is Department policy to apply alleviations to meet the business needs of each of the services, for example, to provide for continuity in management, planning and leadership and retention of expertise. Decisions are taken following consultation with service management and other groups where appropriate. Circumstances will vary across services and my Department's overall priority is to ensure continuity of professional development support for teachers and schools within the available resources.