HUNDREDS OF temporary teachers face uncertainty as new rules on redeployment come into force.
One south Dublin primary school reported yesterday that six temporary staff – all fully qualified – are to lose their posts as a result of the new rules on the filling of vacant posts.
Under the new procedures, vacancies in primary schools must be offered initially to permanent teachers on redeployment panels. A similar circular will be issued to second-level schools shortly.
A total of 1,200 teaching positions were abolished in last year’s budget. As a result, there will be a large surplus of permanent teachers looking for redeployment at the end of the current school year in June.
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation warned last night that existing temporary teachers will face an anxious wait over the summer to see whether they will have employment in their current school.
The rules are designed to ensure teachers will be reassigned to an alternative post in an efficient manner. The INTO estimates that over 800 permanent vacancies will be available for permanent teachers under the new redeployment regime. Redeployment panels are used to reassign teachers whose job is no longer warranted in a school to another school within a 45km radius where there is a post vacant.
