Darren O'Rourke (Meath East, Sinn Fein)
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958. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to change the interview process for permanent posts in schools to an independent public appointment board or service. [46486/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).

In accordance with Department Circulars 0044/2019, 17/2008 and 31/2011, which were agreed between the Department of Education and Youth and the Education partners, and are available on my Department’s website under , schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired.

In accordance with the relevant circulars, it is the responsibility of each school, as the employer, to ensure openness and transparency in the process of appointment to posts from monies provided by the Oireachtas and to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation in force at the time of making the appointment.

There are currently no plans to introduce a requirement that interviews would be conducted by an independent public appointment board or service.