Other Leave

This page contains the following categories:

  • Extra personal vacation (course days)
  • Examination leave
  • Study leave prior to examinations
  • Jury service
  • Representing Ireland at sporting events
  • Voluntary emergency service
  • Public bodies
  • Local Elections
  • General Elections
  • Overseas voluntary/missionary work
  • Temporary teacher exchange

See also Circular 0035/2010 - Unpaid Leave for Registered Teachers in Recognised Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

Extra Personal Vacation (course days)
Where a teacher has, during the school year, attended an approved course, personal leave may be taken subject to board approval, on the basis of three days for attendance at a five day course, four days for attendance at a course or courses of ten days' duration and a maximum of five days for attendance at a course or courses of fifteen days' duration.

Where a teacher fails to attend each day of the course, entitlement to extra personal vacation will be restricted.

Personal vacation may not be taken after 30 June of the school year after attendance at the course, or courses. Personal vacation may be taken in single days, or in groups of days. Absence on personal vacation on a Friday and the following Monday would only constitute two days' leave. Personal vacation can also be used for the extension of the week's leave allowed for marriage. Where all the teachers of a school are entitled to personal vacation the school may be closed, provided it will otherwise be in operation for not less than 183 days.

The Department of Education and Skills does not provide substitute cover for teachers absent on course days, except in the case of one teacher schools. 

Examination Leave
Examination leave with pay will be allowed to teachers for the purpose of attending at examinations held by Irish Universities (including Northern Ireland) or examinations held by other recognised education authorities.

Special consideration will be given to teachers who are registered as external students with universities or educational authorities outside Ireland and who wish to obtain paid leave of absence for the purpose of sitting examinations from those institutions.

The teachers concerned must obtain the permission of the board of management. For such absences there is no obligation to appoint a substitute and, if one is employed, no recoupment will be made by the Department of Education and Skills.

In cases, where there is an element of discretion, the teacher should ring the Department of Education and Skills, Primary Payments Section. 

Study Leave Prior to Examinations
The Department of Education and Skills is prepared to allow leave of absence for five school days to enable teachers, following a recognised university course, to take study leave. Such leave is subject to Rule 116 of the Rules for National Schools; i.e. leave of absence with pay, subject to the prior approval of the school board of management and the employment of a trained substitute at the teacher's own expense.

In cases where there is an element of discretion the teacher should contact the Department of Education and Skills, Primary Payments Section, for prior clarification. 

Jury Service
Under recent legislation a teacher is obliged to serve on a jury, if summoned, unless s/he is excused from jury service by the County Registrar.

Where a teacher is seeking to be excused, it is necessary to make a written application to the County Registrar. A letter from the chairperson/principal in support of the request should be enclosed. The acceptance of a request to be excused is at the discretion of the Registrar.

A substitute may be employed by the board for the period of jury service and the cost of substitution is paid by the Department of Justice and Law Reform. 

Representing Ireland at Sporting Events
Teachers representing Ireland at sporting events (including participation in a managerial or coaching capacity) may be allowed paid leave of absence. The following conditions apply:

  • the teacher must have secured the prior approval of the board of management;
  • the teacher will be paid full salary and allowances for the period of her/his absence;
  • the teacher must arrange for the employment of a trained substitute at her/his own expense; and
  • the event/tour must be approved by the Department of Education and Skills and the relevant sporting authorities (e.g. GAA Central Council in the case of GAA tours).

Voluntary Emergency Service
Teachers who are members of a voluntary emergency service are allowed paid leave of absence to participate in the operation of a voluntary emergency service. The Department will pay the cost of employing a substitute, subject to the following conditions:

  • the board of management must approve the absence;
  • evidence of membership of the appropriate rescue organisation must be supplied to the Department of Education and Skills; and
  • the Department must be satisfied that the teacher's services were essential to the search/rescue operation and that s/he actually took part in it.

Public Bodies
Teachers who are members of County Councils or statutory local bodies may absent themselves for up to 10 school days in each school year (normally one per month) for the purpose of attending meetings arising out of their membership of such bodies.

The permission of the chairperson of the board of management is necessary. Substitute cover is not provided by the Department of Education and Skills.

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Local Elections
Teachers who are candidates in the local authority elections may absent themselves on the day of the elections. Substitute cover is not provided by the Department of Education and Skills.

Leave of Absence for Teachers Standing in General Elections
Teachers standing for election in a General Election are allowed unpaid leave for all days from the date of the candidate's lodgement of his/her nomination papers up to and including the day(s) of the count.

Leave Replaced by Career Break Scheme  
Circular 0010/2011 on Career Breaks subsumes a number of forms of leave of absences including:

  • study leave,
  • diplomatic leave, and
  • overseas voluntary/missionary leave.

The revised career break scheme also includes new arrangements for Oireachtas members. The Government has decided to revise certain employment and pension arrangements for teachers who are or become Oireachtas members. From the commencement of the next Oireachtas ( i.e. 31st Dáil and 24th Seanad) any member of Dáil Éireann or Seanad Éireann who holds a teaching post in a primary, secondary, community, comprehensive or vocational school will have the option of applying for a career break of up to 10 years. This will replace existing leave arrangements and so will mean there will be no right to return to teach after 10 years. There will be no award of incremental credit or pensionable service for teachers while an Oireachtas member.

Overseas Voluntary/Missionary Work
(Leave of absence for teachers undertaking work in developing countries under the auspices of missionary or charitable organisations; some times referred to as APSO leave).

Leave of absence, without pay, subject to a maximum of five years, may be allowed to a teacher to work in a developing country with a missionary, charitable or development organisation.

Teachers wishing to avail of leave of absence under this scheme are required to:

  • have the prior permission of the school board of management;
  • must intend working under the auspices of a recognised charitable or missionary organisation; and
  • must intend working in a country which comes within the category 'developing country' as listed by the Development Co-operation Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs.

This scheme is broadly similar to the career break scheme, however under this scheme a teacher may depart and return at any time during the school year (career breaks generally run from 1 September to the following 31 August).

It is open to a teacher to avail of a maximum of five years' leave of absence under this scheme and an additional five years under the career break scheme.

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Temporary Teacher Exchange
A scheme to allow permanent teachers to temporarily exchange posts for educational purposes was formally introduced with effect from 1 September 1994. The terms of the scheme as outlined in Department of Education and Skills Circular 21/97, are as follows:

1.  The scheme is to facilitate temporary exchange between teachers for educational purposes.

  • The maximum period of exchange available shall be five years, however, this will be subject to the approval of the boards of management and patrons on a yearly basis.
  • An exchange may not be earmarked by a teacher during a school year except by resignation from her/his permanent post. If a teacher resigns her/his post the board of management may appoint a temporary replacement for the remainder of the year.
  • A teacher may engage in one exchange arrangement spread over five years, or may wish to participate at varying intervals in separate arrangements subject to the teacher not participating for more than five years in total in exchange arrangements. 

2. Permanent teachers who have completed probation are eligible to participate in the scheme. A teacher on an approved panel may not participate in the scheme.

3. A teacher's seniority in her/his own school shall not be affected by participating in an exchange under this scheme.

4. Posts of responsibility vacated by teachers participating in teacher exchanges should be filled on a temporary basis for the duration of the exchange, in accordance with existing arrangements. The allowance and post shall revert to the original teacher on return to the school.

5. The board of management of the school in which the teacher is serving for the duration of the exchange, shall be deemed to be the employer. The teacher shall be required to sign a Form of Agreement with the board.

6. Procedure:

7. Approval of both boards of management and of the patrons of the schools involved will be necessary before the exchange proceeds.

8. On receipt of this approval the proposal shall be submitted to the Department of Education and Skills for formal sanction. The Department should be notified not later than 1 April.

9. The refusal of a board of management to approve an exchange shall not constitute grounds for initiating the Grievance Procedure. The board's decision shall be final and the board shall not be obliged to provide reasons for same.

Applying For An Exchange
Teachers wishing to apply to their boards of management for approval for an exchange should do so on the relevant application form available from the Payments Section, Department of Education and Skills.

Each teacher wishing to participate in an exchange must find a partner with whom to exchange. Since the scheme was launched a list of teachers interested in an exchange has been compiled on an annual basis in Head Office. The purpose of the list is to facilitate teachers in making contact with potential exchange partners. (The INTO has no role in matching teachers or in approving exchanges). Details are outlined in the December issue of InTouch each year.

Last updated: December 2011