James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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107. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reconsider the new provision limiting secondments for the purpose of serving as directors for education support centres. [42633/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department arranges for the secondment of teachers from their teaching posts for the purpose of developing and providing CPD for teachers and for appointment as Directors of Education Support Centres (ESC's).

By their nature, secondments are not permanent appointments and are renewed each year subject to ongoing need and policy requirements.

Secondment 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 in their schools. In this way, their expertise and knowledge is not lost to the system. Each ESC has a management committee and staff which ensures continuity at a local level.

Section 37 of the Education Act 1998 provides the legislative basis for the establishment and regulation of Education Centres. Section 37(6) of the Act makes provision to make regulations relating to a number of matters in ESC's such as the appointment of management committees, funding, staffing, provision of information to the DES & other operational matters.

Regulations for the appointment of Directors to Education Centres have now been introduced under Section 37 (6). These regulations, which have been flagged for some time, are effective from 1 September 2017.

I am satisfied that these Regulations will lead to more robust procedures in appointing Directors which in turn will lead to more efficient and effective management of Education Centres.