Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 September 2013
293. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school teachers who participated in summer training schemes in 2011/12; the amount of days in lieu awarded to PS teachers who partook in these summer schools and the amount spent by the DES in providing temporary cover for those teachers who had received time in lieu. [37316/13]
View answerUnder Rule 58 of the Rules for National Schools, teachers are entitled to Extra Personal Vacation (EPV) days on attendance of summer courses which are approved by my Department. On completing such a course a teacher receives a Certificate of Completion which they can submit to their Board of Management and arrange to avail of their EPV days with their Board during the following year. When a teacher takes an EPV day the School Principal makes a return to my Department on the On-Line Claim System (OLCS) indicating that the teacher has availed of an EPV day. In 2011/12 a total of 27,697 primary school teachers participated in approved summer courses. The number of EPV days recorded on the OLCS for the 2012/13 school year was 53,830. There are no substitution costs incurred by the Department in the provision of EPV days.
