1408. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she has consider the particular impact of refusing to allow job-sharing teachers substitute teach on their non-job-sharing days on DEIS and DEIS Plus schools, where access to a reliable supply of substitute teachers is especially important; if she will review this policy from an educational disadvantage perspective; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62934/26]

The Job-Sharing Scheme for teachers is contained in Chapter 8 of the Department’s Circular Letter Circular 0054/2019 titled ‘Leave Schemes for Registered Teachers Employed in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools’. Paragraph 11.1(a) of the Job-Sharing Scheme states a teacher may not engage in any substitute teaching whilst job sharing.

In response to issues raised in relation to teacher supply, the restriction on engaging in substitute teaching, imposed in the Job-Sharing Scheme, has been suspended on a temporary basis over the last number of years.

Information Note TC/IN 0001/2026 has recently been published by my Department and provides for the extension of this temporary arrangement until the end of the 2026/27 school year.

Each employer shall develop and maintain a policy on teacher absences, including non-statutory schemes e.g. Job Sharing, Career Breaks, Unpaid Leave, specific to the needs of the school authority. In drawing up this policy, the welfare and educational needs of the pupils must take precedence over all other considerations and must be in accordance with the rules of the Circular.

This policy shall have due regard to the capacity of the school to meet its obligations to its pupils and may therefore apply a limit to the number of teaching staff that may avail of non-statutory leave schemes at any one time. Employers must consider applications in the context of other statutory and non-statutory leave and must also take into account the availability of an appropriately qualified replacement teacher.