THE GOVERNMENT is likely to have to recruit hundreds of school teachers later this year to plug gaps left by a bigger-than-expected uptake of staff leaving before new pension changes take effect next month.
Significant disruption in schools after February is likely after new figures showed almost 1,600 primary and second-level teachers are set to leave the education service ahead of a drop in pension entitlements.
The departure of so many experienced staff, far more than the 1,100 who were expected to apply, will pose a challenge in schools already struggling with increasing class sizes and cutbacks. The fact most are leaving in the middle of the school year will cause further problems.
Government sources said “targeted recruitment” was being considered in key areas of the public service most affected by retirements.
The Government is projecting a net drop of 6,000 in public sector numbers this year, but, with 7,500 staff planning to leave, it has room to recruit up to 1,500 new staff across the public service without breaking spending targets.
In education, the numbers leaving include 798 primary teachers, 582 secondary, community and comprehensive school teachers and 217 in vocational and community colleges who applied to leave in the period from last December to next February 29th, according to Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn. The vast majority – more than 1,150 – plan to retire next month.
Although post-primary schools have been given permission to re-employ retiring teachers taking Junior Cert and Leaving Cert classes until the summer, Mr Quinn said he has no idea how many schools have made such arrangements.
It was up to individual schools and teachers involved to decide whether they wished to avail of the arrangements, he told Fianna Fáil TD Seán Fleming. He had “no information” on what retirees were doing.
A similar exodus is occurring in the health service, with more than 2,000 Health Service Executive staff indicating they will retire either this month or in February, before the end of the “grace period” under which their pensions and lump-sum gratuities will be based on their pre-pay-cut salaries. This number includes nearly 50 hospital consultants and almost 1,000 nurses.
Sinn Féin health spokesman Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin TD said the numbers leaving the HSE would be a major blow to health services. “Frontline services cannot be maintained with this scale of departures. The loss of nurses in particular will mean a serious reduction in services for patients. Particular regions and services will also face major challenges.”
Other figures published last week show the impact of retirements on the public service last year, with 438 staff leaving the Garda and 117 retiring from the Department of Social Protection.
The Government expects to spend €600 million on lump sums for retiring public servants this year on top of €600 million spent last year, according to Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin. More than €200 million of this year’s spend is allocated for departures from the health service.
A spokeswoman for Mr Howlin said where gaps arose in the public service due to retirements, the Government would look to the Croke Park agreement to “deliver” on redeployment of staff. A workforce planning group at the department was examining the figures for departures in terms of sectors and geography and would decide where it was appropriate to recruit new staff.
Savings of €400 million are projected this year from a review of allowances, changes to sick pay arrangements and reductions in overtime, she said.
Staff in the public service who wish to leave before the end of the “grace period” must submit their applications by the start of February. They can change their mind virtually up until they are scheduled to leave.
About 1,000 civil servants, more than 700 local authority personnel and 500 in the Defence Forces have also applied to leave.
