Retired teachers hired to do part time work in schools are costing the taxpayer up to €1,000 per week, the ASTI conference was told today.
Bernard Moynihan, industrial relations officer, said this was the estimated additional cost of taking on a retired teacher - compared to that involved in hiring a new entrant to the profession.
There has been growing controversy about the decision by many school principals to rely on retired teachers to fill part-time vacancies despite the jobs crisis among newly qualified teachers and the huge availability of part time teachers. Over 25 per cent of all ASTI members are part-time or temporary teachers.
Over 1,000 retired teachers worked in primary and second level schools last year, according to the most recent estimates. Mr Moynihan said it was very difficult to understand how school management cannot secure substitute teachers from the large pool available.
He also warned the Government the union was ready to take legal action under the Unfair Dismissals Act if any attempt was made to replace teachers who are on their second, third or fourth non-permanent contract. In their first contract year, teachers do not enjoy the protection of the Act.
"The feeling they are getting is that they may now be in a position where the department may try to dislodge those people and redeploy someone into their job,” he said.
“I have news for them – you cannot override the law of the land. Our view is that those people are protected by the Unfair Dismissals Act,” Mr Moynihan said.
“After 365 days plus one you have rights and entitlements under the Act. Should the department proceed, or if that occurs, our intention is to challenge that. It may not happen but we have our solicitors and our barristers and so forth fully briefed on this matter and ready to see what we can do.”
