Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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342. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a teacher who is on exchange for a period of eight years has to revert to the original school when a permanent post is to be filled in that school (details supplied); if she will review the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35501/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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 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. Applications for Temporary Re-Assignment are approved by the Board of Management of each school, and details thereof are notified to my Department. On conclusion of the temporary Re-Assignment period the teacher must return to his/her original school and no further Temporary Re-Assignment can be entered into in the course of their career.  

In the first instance, the redeployment of surplus permanent and CID holding teachers is the mechanism used to fill teaching posts. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.  Circular 0025/2022 sets out the staffing and redeployment arrangements for primary schools for the 2022/23 school year.