Brendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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168. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding post-primary teacher redeployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9037/19]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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The provisions of the Career Break and other leave schemes are set out in the “Terms & Conditions of Employment for Registered Teachers in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools” which is published on my Department’s website.

A Career Break is a period of special leave without pay which may be granted by employers .i.e. the Board of Management in the case of voluntary secondary, community and comprehensive schools and Education and Training Board in the case of vocational schools/community colleges. The main objectives of the scheme is for employers, wherever possible, to facilitate applicants in areas such as Personal Development, Voluntary Service Overseas, accompanying spouse/partner on Diplomatic/Military Posting, Education, Public Representation, Childcare/Dependent care and Self-employment. When employers are considering applications for Career Break, the welfare and educational needs of the pupils shall take precedence over all other considerations.

With regard to redeployment, the core function of the redeployment arrangements for teachers 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 my Department's website.