Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent)
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257. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 696 of 18 January 2023, the counties in which the pilot scheme was deployed; and the dates that each scheme was deployed in each county. [3819/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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 data requested by the Deputy is attached.

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.