Seán Fleming (Laois, Fianna Fail)
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124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his plans to postpone the implementation of SI No. 394 of 2017, Education Support Centres (Appointment and Secondment of Directors) Regulations 2017, (Appendix A), until such time as this matter has been discussed by the Houses of the Oireachtas in view of the concerns raised by the various education centres throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47201/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the concerns raised by a number of Education Support Centres referred to by the Deputy. Section 37 of the Education Act 1998 provides the statutory basis for Education Support Centres and outlines the policy framework underpinning their recognition and functions, funding, staffing and governance. The Act empowers me as Minister to make regulations relating to the operation of centres including the appointment and remuneration of staff which includes the post of director.

The regulations I recently promulgated under Section 37(6) of the Education Act underpins my Department's policy for the secondment of teachers to Education Support Centres. These regulations comply with relevant legal and policy requirements. Accordingly, there are no plans to change the approach.

By way of background, my Department arranges for the secondment of teachers from their teaching posts for the purpose of developing and providing CPD for teachers and for the appointment as Directors of Education Support Centres (ESC's). Secondments are a temporary arrangement renewable on a year to year basis. While on secondment, teachers retain their school post, the terms and conditions that apply to teachers and receive their salary and a secondment allowance which are met in full by my Department.

In 2010, a new policy of secondment was introduced which included a new limit on secondment numbers and established an upper limit of 5 years on the length of a secondment, following which the Directors return to their posts either as a teacher or an inspector. The policy was agreed by the then Minister for Finance Mr Brian Lenihan T.D.

There are many benefits from the revised policy for teachers, their boards of management and the system as a whole.  Because an upper limit of 5 years now applies to secondments, there is:

- confidence that the teachers involved in the delivery of CPD have recent experience of the curriculum and of the school environment

- certainty about secondment parameters which assist individual teachers and their boards of management in planning.

There are more opportunities for teachers to take on career enhancing roles in the support services and the Centres. Teachers returning to their school after a period of secondment have the potential to enrich their school environment and they become eligible to take on subsequent secondment opportunities after a period back in their school.

Regular turnover of seconded teachers is now an established practice with teachers returning to enrich their schools so the investment in their skills is not lost. Since 2010, 10 Education Centres have successfully recruited new Directors and the work of the Centres has not been negatively affected.