Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [64169/25]

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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A teacher who is employed for less than 150 hours in a school year is deemed to be a casual part-time teacher. A casual part-time teacher will be paid at the casual rate of pay.

A teacher who is contracted for more than 150 hours but for less than a school year is deemed to be a non-casual part-time teacher. A non-casual part-time teacher will be paid at the appropriate personal rate of pay.

Teachers who are appointed to contracts for the whole school year are also paid at the appropriate personal rate of pay.

It is therefore only teachers who are classified as casual part-time teachers that are paid the casual rate of pay.

Where a casual part-time teacher who is employed for less than 150 hours in a school year, subsequently exceeds 150 hours, the additional hours will be paid at the non-casual rate of pay.

In general, teachers will have contracted class contact time of up-to 22 hours a week at post-primary level and up to 25 hours a week at primary level.

In recent years, at post-primary level, the Department has operated a temporary scheme, titled the Teaching Hours Extension scheme, which allows for post-primary teachers who have satisfied the 22 hours contract requirements, including teachers working in a substitute or casual part-time capacity, to provide additional substitute teaching hours up to a maximum of 35 hours per term.

Pay and workplace reform measures for public servants have been governed by a framework of public service pay agreements for a number of years with the new Public Service Agreement (PSA) 2024-2026 in place until June 2026.

The Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services and will continue to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and to the taxpayer. With regards to arrangements in place in relation to the payment of substitute teachers, these arrangements are applied in line with agreements reached between the parties to the Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for teachers and confirmed in Circular Letter 0028/2004.

Any further amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, including pay and allowances, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions or through the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC) forum.

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 provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of overseas teaching service, both within and outside the EU. Where a school satisfies the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit, an award of incremental credit can be made. There is no contractual entitlement to incremental credit.

Where schools do not satisfy the required criteria, then service at that school cannot be considered towards incremental credit. Teachers must be on the Department of Education and Youth’s teacher payroll or teaching in an Education and Training Board school before an application can be processed.

At post-primary level, teachers may claim incremental credit for prior teaching service carried out in Ireland. Casual post-primary part-time teachers must reach a threshold of 300 hours in one year and must satisfy criteria set out in the relevant circular. Where they satisfy the relevant criteria, a post-primary casual part-time teacher will receive an increment for each 600 hours worked.

The criteria for the award of incremental credit for teachers are subject to review by way of an incremental credit committee, which is a sub-committee of the Teachers Conciliation Council, and which meets on an ongoing basis.