Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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181. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will investigate the possibility of a specialised transfer system in teaching to allow a change in location for permanent teachers, due to personal circumstances, without incurring the loss of panel rights; if any avenue of appeal exists within his Department or designated offices for special consideration to be given to teachers who have exchanged or transferred to another location but cannot return to original placement due to extenuating circumstances and seek permanency in a new location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8103/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The provisions of the teacher exchange scheme are set out by my Department in Circular Letter 0017/2015 the contents of which were agreed under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council. The Teacher Conciliation Council is part of the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for Teachers and was set up to deal with claims and proposals relating to the Terms and Conditions of employment of teachers. The Council is composed of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.

The Teacher Exchange scheme is open to primary teachers who are registered with the Teaching Council, have completed probation and who wish to exchange their posts for educational purposes. Educational purposes would include enabling teachers in primary schools to gain experience of teaching in different types of settings. The concept is that teachers will gain a different experience, enrich their knowledge and understanding of their professional work and share this understanding with colleagues.

The minimum period for which an exchange may occur is one year and the maximum is five years.

In 2016 the issue of this limit and the purpose of the scheme was reviewed under the auspices of Teachers Conciliation Council. Having considered the matter and taking into account all circumstances both the union and management partners considered that their preferred option is to retain the existing scheme as set out in the published circular.

However, in response to a request for consideration of a voluntary transfer scheme for Primary Teachers, I have decided to extend the maximum period for which an exchange may occur for those teachers in their fifth and sixth year of exchange for one further year.