Rory Hearne (Dublin North-West, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

38. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to correspondence received by a teacher (details supplied), if she will clarify the position relating to the provision of incremental credit; if clear guidance will be provided by her Department in respect of whether incremental credit can be awarded in this case, in advance of the teacher having to go back on the Department’s/ETB’s payroll; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37956/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001, for primary teachers, and 29/2007 and 29/2010, for post-primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).

These circulars may recognise prior teaching or relevant non-teaching service. Where an application for relevant non-teaching service is made by a teacher, the teacher is required to demonstrate the relevance of such service in relation to the initial subjects they teach following that service.

It is also a requirement of these circulars that a teacher must be on payroll when claiming incremental credit.

When a teacher returns to work following a period where they worked outside of teaching, they would usually commence on the point that they were on when they vacated their post originally. They would of course be placed on an updated payscale.

While a teacher may subsequently qualify for an award of incremental credit, the Department is not in a position to carry out an assessment of a person’s prior service where a person is considering returning to teaching or where a person is considering on becoming a teacher in the first instance. The Department must prioritise the processing of applications for incremental credit from individuals who are currently employed as teachers.