Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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377. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that prior teaching service by a teacher, which has not been reckoned for an incremental credit as teaching, cannot be reckoned as a credit for non-teaching experience (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48099/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The criteria for the award of Incremental Credit is outlined in Circular 10/2001 for primary teachers and Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post primary teachers as agreed in the first instance, by the Teacher Conciliation Council (TCC).  This Council is comprised of representatives of the teacher unions, school management bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.

These circulars provide for the recognition of both prior teaching service and prior relevant non-teaching service for incremental credit purposes. In the context of these circulars teaching service is service given in a recognised school by a qualified primary teacher or a qualified post-primary teacher.  Also in the context of these circulars relevant non-teaching service is service except for teaching service.

If a teacher has been teaching in an international setting prior to qualifying as a teacher and is seeking recognition of that international service, they must comply with the terms of the relevant incremental credit circular relating to either primary or post-primary teachers. Teaching service can only be reckoned when the teacher is a recognised qualified teacher here in Ireland and has worked in a recognised school setting.

Similarly, relevant non-teaching service is defined as service other than teaching service. When a teacher is refused incremental credit because they were not a qualified teacher, it does not automatically mean that they can have that service reckoned under the relevant non-teaching category.