Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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92. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date in discussions with the INTO regarding a permanent exchange scheme for primary school teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47463/17]

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.

In 2016 the scheme was reviewed under the auspices of the 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 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 the teacher unions, school management, the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission. The proceedings of the Teachers Conciliation Council are confidential.