Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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201. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding teacher redeployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7703/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment.

The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.

The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers.

Thereafter the recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).

The voluntary redeployment scheme for the 2019/20 school year allows teachers employed in schools in Counties Wexford, Waterford, Carlow, Kilkenny, Galway and Roscommon to volunteer for a transfer to other areas if such a transfer would free up a vacancy that would facilitate the redeployment of a surplus permanent teacher in that area.

The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to post-primary schools for the 2019/20 school year, including the redeployment arrangements, are available on the Department's website.