Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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292. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the changes made in information note TC 0016/2021 which allows a job-sharing teacher to provide substitute cover in their own school only. [35951/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The Job Sharing Scheme for teachers is contained in Chapter 8 of my Department’s Circular Letter Circular 0054/2019 titled ‘Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers Employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools’.Paragraph 11.1(a) of the Job Sharing Scheme states a teacher may not engage in any substitute teaching whilst job sharing.

In response to issues raised in relation to teacher supply, this restriction of engaging in substitute teaching imposed in the Job Sharing Scheme was suspended for the 2020/21 school year and again for the 2021/22 school year.

My Department’s published Information Note TC 0016/2021 on 28^thJune, to inform schools of this temporary change to the Job Sharing Scheme for the 2021/22 school year.

A Job Sharing teacher may now be employed to work in a substitute capacity, during the period he/she is rostered off duty. Given the need to minimise movement between schools during the current COVID-19 pandemic in the 2020/21 school year and again in the 2021/22 school year, the Job Sharing teacher is limited to carrying out substitute work in his/her own school.