Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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413. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views of existing restrictions on teachers taking parental leave in individual days as can contribute to a lack of continuity between students and individual teachers; if she intends to review existing restrictions on teachers taking parental leave in individual days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32125/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The purpose of Parental Leave is to allow a teacher a period of unpaid leave to care for their child.

In line with the provisions of the Parental Leave Act (as amended), a teacher may avail of Parental Leave in blocks of at least one week up to a maximum of 26 weeks. Each period of Parental Leave must be a minimum duration of 7 consecutive days including weekends, school closures and days on which a teacher is not timetabled for attendance occurring within that period.

In certain circumstances a teacher may avail of Parental Leave in the form of individual days where a child has particular medical problems that require the attendance of a parent with the child at hospital, clinic or therapeutic appointment on a regular basis. In such circumstances, certification from the hospital or clinic in respect of the absence must be submitted to the employer and retained on the teacher's personnel file.

The Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC) forms part of the Scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for Teachers, the purpose of which is to provide a forum for claims and proposals relating to the salary, and other terms & conditions of service for teachers.

The Council is comprised of representatives from the Teacher Unions, the School Management Bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, and the Department of Education and Youth. The TCC is independently chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission. The terms and conditions of teachers employed in State funded teaching posts are formulated at TCC. The current entitlement for Parental Leave for teachers, as detailed in the Department's Circular Letter 0054/2019, exists by virtue of a collective agreement at TCC.

It is not currently planned to make any additional amendments to the terms of the Parental Leave Scheme for teachers as set out in Circular 0054/2019 and Information Note TC/IN 0010/2023.