Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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136. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers who have availed of career breaks, duration of career breaks and on-career breaks in each year since 2010, by primary and secondary teachers and in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18655/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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The information on the numbers of Career Breaks availed of by teachers in primary and post primary schools excluding those employed in schools operated by Education and Training Boards since the 2012/13 school year is provided in the table. This information is also available on my Department's website.

A teacher may engage in the career break scheme subject to an overall maximum absence of 10 years in the course of his/her professional career. A career break shall be a period of not less than one school year and may be extended on an annual basis provided that the total period of the Career Break does not exceed 5 years at any one time. A subsequent Career Break may not be taken until the teacher has served for a period equal to the duration of the previous Career Break.

Each application for or extension of a Career Break shall be considered on its own merits by the employer within the context of the school's policy statement. The decision of the employer shall be final. The employer means an Education and Training Board (ETB) for vocational schools/community colleges, community national schools and a Board of Management/Manager in the case of primary(excluding community national schools) voluntary secondary, community and comprehensive schools.

The Department's website holds further information on the Career Break Scheme - (Terms and Conditions of Employment for Registered Teachers in Primary and Post Primary School - Chapter Eight refers.)

Breakdown of Career Break by year, sector and gender for 2012/13 – 2017/18

Excludes info from ETB’s and Community National Schools