Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour)
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141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the five year rule for primary school teachers temporarily swapping jobs still stands; if there have been cases to the contrary; and if so, if he will list them and the reason they have been treated differently. [30480/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The provisions of the teacher exchange scheme are set out in Circular Letter 0017/2015 the contents of which were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council. The Teachers 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.

In accordance with the Circular the minimum period for which an exchange may occur is one year and the maximum is five years.

In 2016 the scheme was reviewed under the auspices of Teachers Conciliation Council and to facilitate this review the maximum period for which an exchange may occur was extended to allow applicants a sixth year of exchange in the school year 2016/17. Following a request from teacher representatives that a voluntary transfer scheme for Primary Teachers be considered it was decided to extend the maximum period for which an exchange may occur for one further year. Therefore the period for which an exchange may occur for those teachers in their fifth or sixth year of exchange was extended for one further year subject to other provisions of the circular being complied with, i.e. application by the teacher to his/her Board of management and the approval of the Board of Management being obtained.

The proposal for a voluntary transfer scheme is currently under consideration in my Department.

The number of teachers who availed of the teacher exchange scheme in the school year 2016/17 is 232 of which 10 are in their sixth year of exchange.