Mairéad Farrell (Galway West, Sinn Fein)
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161. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered the reintroduction of an allowance for teachers on offshore islands; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45648/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In 2012 a public service-wide review of all allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and as a result certain allowances were abolished with effect from 1^stFebruary 2012. My Department issued Circular 0008/2013 which outlines the effect of this review on teachers. In common with a number of job-role based allowances, sanction for payment to new beneficiaries of the Gaeltacht allowance was withdrawn from 1^stFebruary 2012 under the terms of the Circular. Furthermore, if a teacher was eligible for receipt of the allowance prior to 1^stFebruary 2012 and subsequently left that job role on or after 1^stFebruary 2012 on a voluntary basis, their entitlement to the allowance ceases from the date of the move and they cannot re-gain entitlement.