Supplementary Panel 2024/25
Circular 57/2023, published on 16 November 2023, sets out the conditions and application process for access to the Supplementary Panel for recruitment to permanent positions arising for the 2024/25 school year.
What is the Supplementary Panel?
The Supplementary Panel is used to make appointments to full-time, permanent jobs, only where these jobs are not otherwise needed to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent or CID-holding teachers through the Main Panel.
The Supplementary Panel is intended to give teachers who have a minimum service threshold priority access to jobs in their diocese, within a 45km radius of their current school.
It does not guarantee teachers a permanent position, and the Supplementary Panel will not clear in every diocese or region.
Eligibility for Supplementary Panel for positions in the 2024/25 School Year
In order to be eligible for the Supplementary Panel, a teacher must have moved up at least three incremental points for their substitute or fixed-term service by the end of the December when they apply, or if they have only moved up two incremental points, they must hold a contract to the end of the school year in which they apply.
The service in question doesn’t have to be continuous, so if a teacher is only working sporadically, it could take four or five or six years to earn the necessary increments.
Part-time, fixed-term service will count toward your incremental progression, and your supplementary panel rights.
New Entrant EAL hours count toward your incremental progression, and if you have only moved up two salary scale points and require a contract to the end of the school year in order to be eligible for the Panel, a contract for New Entrant EAL hours is sufficient.
Your current point on the incremental scale is printed on the top right-hand corner of your payslip.
Only non-permanent service, paid by the Department of Education, will count toward Supplementary Panel rights. Incremental credit for service abroad, or in private schools, or for relevant non-teaching experience will not be counted, and neither will increments earned for previous permanent service.
Post 2011 entrants
Broadly speaking, if you started at point one of the salary scale, and all your incremental progressions have been earned through non-permanent service, you will need to either be at point three with a contract from the application date to the end of the school year, or at point four (or if you have benefited from an incremental skip under the PSSA, point five).
Pre 2011 entrants
If you started at point two of the salary scale (i.e., if you have a B.Ed), you will need to either be at point four, with a contract from the application date to the end of the school year, or at point five of the scale, in order to access the Supplementary Panel.
If you started at the third point of the salary scale (i.e., if you have a Postgraduate qualification), you will need to be at point five with a contract from the application date to the end of the year, or at point six.
Review of your salary scale point
If you think the salary scale point indicated on your payslip doesn’t reflect all your service, you should contact DE Primary Payroll here and ask them to review your service and scale point.
If you believe you have sufficient service, you should still apply – the incremental points are used as a proxy for service, and you will not be penalised if your progression was incorrectly delayed by payroll.
Earnings in 2023
There is also an earnings criteria to meet in the calendar year in which you apply – ordinarily you must have gross earnings of €31,000 if you’re on the post 2011 scale, or €34,100 if you’re on the pre 2011 scale.
If you have been employed in a fixed-term, part-time position for some or all of 2023, you should indicate this on your application, and the Department of Education will adjust the earnings threshold downward, on a pro rata basis.
Similarly, if you were on maternity, adoptive, or parent’s leave in 2023, you should indicate this on your application form, and the Department will take account of this when assessing your earnings.
Registration and probation
You must be fully registered with the Teaching Council as a Primary Teacher, without conditions or restrictions by the application deadline.
Questions around registration requirements should be addressed to the Teaching Council of Ireland.
Which Panel are you applying to?
For the Catholic and Church of Ireland panels, this will usually be the diocese where you are currently working.
However, if you have worked between two panel areas in the calendar year in which you are applying for Supplementary Panel, you can elect to either go on the Panel in which you had the most service during that year, or the Panel where you hold a contract to the end of the school year.
For example:
A teacher was employed in Dublin from January – August 2023, and then took up a fixed-term contract in Kildare-Leighlin for the 2023/24 school year. They may elect to go on whichever is their preferred Panel. They have worked for the majority of 2023 in Dublin but hold a contract to the end of the 2023/24 school year in Kildare-Leighlin.
Educate Together and An Foras Pátrúnachta, operate a national panel, so you may be offered a post within a 45km radius of your current school, without reference to diocesan boundaries, and at Part 2 of the application form, you may also indicate if you are willing to consider jobs in other counties.
Supplementary panels are now available for teachers in Community National schools, which operate in the ETB system. There will be a panel for each ETB area.
Sending your application form
Only postal applications will be accepted, and must be received by the Department of Education on or before the deadline. Late applications, or applications posted on the deadline, will not be considered. Applicants should retain proof of postage.
Engaging with the Supplementary Panel
On your application form, its important that you carefully read and note the Declaration at Part Three. Failure to comply with the conditions set out in the circular may lead to the forfeiture of your Supplementary Panel rights for 2023/24.
You must be contactable at the email address or phone number you supply on your application form, as these are the details Principals will use when making appointments in the summer-time.
If a formal job offer is made to you, in writing, you have three days to accept. If you turn down a formal offer from a school within 45km of your current school, you will lose your Supplementary Panel rights for 2024/25, but will be free to re-apply in December 2024.
If you choose to take up a fixed-term job for 2024/25, you must submit a Panel Update Form to remove yourself from the Supplementary Panel, and you will be free to re-apply in December 2024.
I have applied to the panel – what happens next?
Circular and Application Forms
Circular 0057/2023 (PDF)
FAQ on Circular 0057/2023 (PDF)
Application Form for Supplementary Panel 2024/25 (PDF)
Supplementary Panel Update Form (PDF)
Members with further questions about the Supplementary Panel should watch the webinar above. Following the webinar, if you have further questions, COEL team members on the Queryline will be happy to advise and assist you. Email info@into.ie or phone 01 8047700.
Page updated 25 July 2024
