Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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480. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a teacher employed in a community school who is promoted to the position of deputy principal is automatically entered into the relevant pension scheme upon the commencement date in the new post, even if the teacher had not been entered previously; the precise conditions that govern the entitlement for a teacher to be entered into the relevant pension scheme in such a case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39129/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The question posed by the Deputy queries whether a teacher currently in employment who is not a member of the Secondary Community and Comprehensive Teachers Pension Scheme and who is subsequently promoted to a position of Deputy Principal should then become an automatic member of the Scheme.

The terms of the Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Teachers Pension Scheme are such that a person who was in employment prior to 1 March 1996, may voluntarily join the Scheme at any point up to their retirement, provided that they have been in continuous employment before that date.

A promotion or change of school would not constitute a break in employment, therefore the teacher retains the option to apply for membership of the scheme.

An eligible person appointed to a post since 1 March 1996 either for the first time or after a break in service is a compulsory member of the scheme.

An eligible person for the purpose of the Scheme is one who was appointed before 1 August 1996 and at the age of at least 21 years and provided they do not have a break in service of more than 26 weeks which continued or commenced on or after 1 January 2013 and who is a secondary teacher registered with the Registration Council, serving in a whole time post in a secondary school and was receiving remuneration paid by the Department or serving in a teaching post or in a post of chaplain in a comprehensive or community school.