Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 February 2026
488. Deputy Paula Butterly asked the Minister for Education and Youth the current status of voluntary redeployment within the ETB sector, including any planned reforms to Appendix 2 of the redeployment scheme; the extent of engagement with teacher unions on developing a system that would allow teachers to relocate while retaining permanent/CID status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14190/26]
View answerThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, as the employer, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).
The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.
Redeployment arrangements are in place with the core function of the redeployment arrangements being to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent teachers to other schools where vacancies exist. Ensuring efficiency in the annual redeployment processes is significant in terms of managing the overall teacher numbers.
At Post-Primary level, following discussions between the relevant stakeholders a voluntary redeployment scheme has operated on a pilot basis in specific regions in recent years. Permanent teachers employed in these regions are given an opportunity to volunteer for a transfer to other areas of the country only if such a transfer would free up a vacancy that would facilitate the redeployment of a surplus permanent teacher in the region.
The key purpose of the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme is to assist the Department to achieve its objective of redeploying all surplus permanent teachers. To-date the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme has operated in 24 counties.
Teachers who apply under the pilot voluntary scheme and are not facilitated with a transfer continue to have the option of applying for posts in their preferred location that are advertised in the normal manner.
Arrangements for the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme for the 25/26 school year were published by my Department in February 2025.
Appendix 2 of Circular 25/2011 also provides for a redeployment scheme for teachers surplus to requirements other than in situations of school closure.
The scheme allows for existing teachers to be considered for redeployment on a voluntary basis where the school/ETB has an excess number of teachers in its employment beyond in excess of its allocation subject to that surplus position representing more than 1% of the overall allocation of that school/VEC. The allocation figure for this purpose is the allocation on 31 December of the year prior to redeployment adjusted by policy decisions on the Pupil-Teacher Ratio and other teaching posts.
It is not currently intended to make amendments to the provisions of Appendix 2 of Circular 25/2011.
Teachers who seek to resign from their post in their current school, and who seek employment as a teacher in another school, will be able to avail of the revised criteria for the award of a Contract of Indefinite Duration (CID) where, subject to meeting the relevant criteria, will be eligible for an award of a CID after a period of 1 year of continuous employment in the school, subject to the school having a viable post in the following school year and where the teacher has been reappointed following a competitive interview process at the end of that first year.
Teachers who are successfully appointed to another school will retain their pay and conditions of employment where they satisfy the relevant criteria.
