Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the fact that a number of schools will not meet the minimum of 167 teaching days in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8503/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Under Department Circulars, the minimum number of teaching days per school year will be 167.  This is a minimum figure which must be adhered to by all schools (and all classes within a school).

I am aware that the ASTI’s continuing action in withdrawing from the Croke Park hours is causing disruption to schools and parents. I am concerned about any loss of tuition time for students due to the ASTI’s action.

The 33 Croke Park hours per year provided by post-primary teachers allow essential activities such as school planning, staff meetings, national in-service provision etc. to take place without reducing class contact/tuition time. Previously, schools were required to close early or for a day or half days to facilitate these activities.

ASTI's withdrawal from the Croke Park hours means that the union has repudiated the Lansdowne Road Agreement and this action has resulted in ASTI members losing out on the protections and benefits of that Agreement. A number of measures are being applied since July 2016 or will be applied to ASTI members in consequence of this repudiation:

- The pay increases for 2012 new entrant teachers that are effective from 1 January 2017 and 1 January 2018 do not apply;

- Increments are frozen until July 2018;

- Missing out on inclusion of the S&S allowance of €1,592 into the pay scale - the first moiety of this due on 1 September 2016 (€796) has not been paid;

- The alleviation of the FEMPI Act pay reductions for higher earners has been withdrawn, meaning a further pay reduction of up to €1,769 per teacher;

- Non-application of the €1,000 increase being paid to public servants on 1 April 2017;

- The Ward Report measures have been withdrawn and the revised sequence for filling posts is not being applied - both of these would enable fixed-term and part-time teachers to gain permanent, full-time jobs more easily and quickly than before;

- Promotion posts announced in Budget 2017 will not be available;

- The additional teacher allocation/ reduction in class contact time from September 2017 for teachers with Junior Cycle classes will not apply;

- No S&S opt-out option;

- No S&S opt-in option;

- Missing out on chance to influence use of Croke Park hours through a review;

- Potential for job losses through compulsory redundancy;

- Withdrawal of enhanced redundancy payment where a teacher is made redundant;

- Potential delay or loss of the pay increase of €1,000 due on 1 September 2017 and the reversal of the pay reductions for higher earners due on 1 April 2017.