Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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717. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will establish a national voluntary redeployment panel so that those teachers who wish to relocate would keep their permanent-CID status; if she will meet with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63734/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority as the employer. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.

The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent teachers to other schools where vacancies exist.  Ensuring efficiency in the annual redeployment processes is significant in terms of managing the overall teacher numbers.

At Post-Primary level, following discussions between the relevant stakeholders a voluntary redeployment scheme has operated on a pilot basis in specific regions in recent years.  Permanent teachers employed in these regions are given an opportunity to volunteer for a transfer to other areas of the country only if such a transfer would free up a vacancy that would facilitate the redeployment of a surplus permanent teacher in the region.  

The key purpose of the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme is to assist the Department to achieve its objective of redeploying all surplus permanent teachers. To-date the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme has operated in 24 counties

The redeployment process is reviewed annually by my Department and Education Stakeholders, including Teacher Unions. The pilot voluntary redeployment scheme will operate in counties Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly for 2023/24 school year. The criteria for the allocation of teachers to schools including the redeployment arrangements for the 2023/24 school year will shortly be available on the Department's website.  

Teachers who apply under the pilot voluntary scheme and are not facilitated with a transfer continue to have the option of applying for posts in their preferred location that are advertised in the normal manner.

John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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718. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider the merits of a motion passed by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63760/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority as the employer. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.

The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent teachers to other schools where vacancies exist.  Ensuring efficiency in the annual redeployment processes is significant in terms of managing the overall teacher numbers.

At Post-Primary level, following discussions between the relevant stakeholders a voluntary redeployment scheme has operated on a pilot basis in specific regions in recent years.  Permanent teachers employed in these regions are given an opportunity to volunteer for a transfer to other areas of the country only if such a transfer would free up a vacancy that would facilitate the redeployment of a surplus permanent teacher in the region.  

The key purpose of the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme is to assist the Department to achieve its objective of redeploying all surplus permanent teachers. To-date the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme has operated in 24 counties

The redeployment process is reviewed annually by my Department and Education Stakeholders, including Teacher Unions. The pilot voluntary redeployment scheme will operate in counties Longford, Westmeath, Laois and Offaly for 2023/24 school year. The criteria for the allocation of teachers to schools including the redeployment arrangements for the 2023/24 school year will shortly be available on the Department's website.  

Teachers who apply under the pilot voluntary scheme and are not facilitated with a transfer continue to have the option of applying for posts in their preferred location that are advertised in the normal manner.

Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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719. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review procedures for Garda vetting of special needs assistants in order that their vetting status can move with them from school to school, as in the case of teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63767/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Following the commencement of the National Vetting Bureau [ Children and Vulnerable Persons ] Act of 2012 by the then Minister for Justice and Equality on the 29 April 2016 (other than section 20 ) my Department issued Circular 31/2016 to all school Authorities and Education Training Boards advising of the statutory obligations placed on school authorities to obtain a vetting disclosure from the Bureau prior to the employment, contract, permission or placement of a person to undertake relevant work or activities with children or vulnerable persons

The Vetting Act provides that vetting is conducted by the National Vetting Bureau on foot of an application by a relevant organisation that is registered with it.  The vetting legislation and the vetting procedures operated by the National Vetting Bureau fall within the remit of the Minister for Justice.

The Vetting Act also provides that a relevant organisation must, other than in certain limited circumstances, obtain a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau prior to commencing the employment of an employee to undertake relevant work with children or vulnerable adults.

The relevant diocesan office or school management body continues to act as a conduit for schools for the purposes of Garda vetting of persons other than registered teachers who are employed, contracted, permitted or placed to undertake relevant work or activities by the school and in the case of ETB schools, the relevant ETB is the relevant organisation for such purposes 

The Department of Justice has established an inter-departmental group to undertake a review of Garda vetting arrangements and legislation. The group will make recommendations for amending legislation and strengthening the Garda vetting process and the feasibility of the introduction of a centralised system for vetting SNA's can be considered as part of this work.