Peter Burke (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a teacher will be retained in a school (details supplied) in County Mayo due to the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. [8815/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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In  February 2018 my Department introduced the “Temporary Re-Assignment Scheme For Primary Teachers”.  This Scheme was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). The Council is comprised of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Education & Skills and is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.

The purpose of the Temporary Re-Assignment Scheme is to facilitate an arrangement between two eligible teachers who, with the approval of their respective employers, wish to apply for temporary re-assignment to a different school for educational purposes.

The provisions of the Scheme are set out in Chapter 9 of Circular 0054/2019.

Paragraph 1.3 of the Circular states:

“A  teacher may apply for temporary re-assignment to a different school for educational purposes which includes enabling teachers in primary schools to enhance their professional experience by teaching in different types of settings and enrich their personal knowledge which can then be shared with colleagues. For example, a teacher could seek a temporary re-assignment between:

- an urban school and a rural school or vice versa

- a large school with a single class per teacher and a smaller school with multi-grade classes

- a junior school, that is infants to second class and a senior school where they would teach third to sixth class

- a single gender school and a mixed gender school

- a mainstream school and a special school

- a DEIS school and a non-DEIS school

- a multi-medium school and a Gaelscoil/school in a Gaeltacht area or vice versa”

In accordance with the terms of the scheme, the minimum period for which a re-assignment may be facilitated is one school year and the maximum is three school years. I understand that the teacher referred to by the Deputy is currently in the second year of re-assignment.