IPPN

Published: 01 September 2003

Personal Retirement Savings Account - PRSAs

The financial and legal implications of employing part time members of staff such as resource teachers, SNAs, secretaries, caretakers etc have in the past created a huge headache and massive workload for principal teachers. Thankfully many principals have successfully offloaded this particular task by insisting that the BoM retains the services of an appropriate accountant. If your BoM has not already done this, the recent obligation on all employers to facilitate their staff to have access to PRSAs, will almost certainly require the BoM to access external expertise. This is a responsibility of the Board of Management not the principal teacher.

You may be aware from the last issue of Solas magazine and indeed from national advertising that all employers now have a responsibility to facilitate employees in accessing suitable pension schemes or the new government scheme called PRSA - Personal Retirement Saving Account. This does not present a problem in the case of most employees of the BoM, as they are paid directly by the DES and are already within the public sector pension scheme. However, part time employees such as SNAs, resource teachers, secretaries and caretakers etc will fall within this category. The BoM should address this issue by nominating a member of the Board (it does not need to be the principal teacher) to contact one of the approved PRSA providers and invite a representative of such a provider to come and meet the relevant staff within the school at a time convenient to all. Once the PRSA provider makes contact with the staff in the school who require information about PRSAs, the provider will register the details of the BoM and record that they have fulfilled their obligation to provide information about PRSAs to their staff.

The onus then rests with the employee to decide whether or not they will take out a PRSA Plan. If he or she decides to do so the employer must then facilitate the necessary deductions to be made at source in the same way as PRSI and PAYE are deducted. Many schools have already handed over all such payroll functions for part time employees to an appropriate professional i.e. an accountant. The accountant registers the employee with the tax office re tax free allowances, PAYE, PRSI etc. The accountant also liaises with the DES re ancillary staff grants and reimbursement of salary for SNAs etc. Likewise the accountant liaises with the employee re payment by cheque or standing order.

Should a part time employee seek to take out a PRSA the above approach should ensure no additional workload for the principal and the ease of mind in knowing that it has all been dealt with properly by the appropriate professional.

New Ireland Assurance Company Limited is one of the providers of PRSAs approved by the Central Bank.

New Ireland has taken an advert in this issue of IPPN's newsletter and will assist your Board of Management in facilitating staff to learn about these PRSAs and fulfil the Board's obligation.

Is mise le meas,

Seán Cottrell
Director

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Published: 10 June 2003

Paddy Flood of the Leadership Development for Schools Team has asked me to bring to your attention a Professional Development opportunity for Principals and Deputy Principals both North and South of the Border.

Open the attached document for full details.

Please contact Paddy at paddy@leadership-development-forschools.ie if you have any further enquiries.

Is mise le meas,

Seán Cottrell
Director.

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Published: 01 June 2003

IPPN is currently forming a Special Education Advisory Committee, which will inform of IPPN policy in this area and provide a representative function for Principals of Special Schools.

This Advisory Committee will consist of Principals representing the various Special School categories.

Already, some Support Groups for Principal Teachers of certain category Special Schools have met to discuss this issue. I now invite contact from the various Support Groups for Principals of Special Schools to discuss appropriate representation on the IPPN Special Education Advisory Committee for Principals.

Is mise le meas,

Seán Cottrell
Director

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Published: 10 May 2003

I enclose for your attention, an advertisement which appears in today's newspaper. This advert refers to a number of positions in the Leadership Development for Schools (LDS) team.

Is mise le meas,

Seán Cottrell
Director

Leadership Development for Schools Programme

1. National Co-ordinator 2. Assistant National Co-ordinators

The Leadership Development for Schools (LDS) initiative was established in November 2001, to develop a comprehensive School Management / Leadership Programme of training and development for principals, deputy principals and others involved in school management and educational leadership in first and second level schools. This initiative is administered by Clare Education Centre.

Applications are now invited for the positions of National Coordinator and Assistant National Coordinators in this service from Principal and Deputy Principal teachers who currently hold permanent whole-time recognised posts in recognised primary and second level schools, and from Principal and Deputy Principal teachers on secondment from such posts. Short-listing may apply and in addition to immediate appointments, panels will be formed from which National Coordinator and Assistant National Coordinators vacancies may be filled. Due consideration will be given to the needs of Irish language medium schools.

Successful applicants will be seconded from their posts for the academic year 2003/04.

Applicants likely to be called for interview should have most or all of the following:

• At least 3 years' teaching experience as a Principal/Deputy Principal at first or second level in recognised Irish schools.
  
• A broad knowledge of the first and second level school programme in Ireland.
  
• An enterprising approach to tasks and the capability to undertake a substantial innovative and challenging project.
  
• Experience of designing and delivering inservice, e.g. working in a support service, managing projects and/or management in schools.
  
• Involvement in curriculum development.
  
• Good communication, IT and organisational skills.
  
• Good interpersonal, facilitation, presentation and teamwork skills.
  
  

  In addition to the above, applicants for the National Coordinator position should have good leadership skills, be able to promote a team approach and develop the capacity of the team.

  This post will be filled by secondment from among existing Principals and/or Deputy Principals of recognised Irish schools, including those already on secondment, or by others with appropriate expertise and experience at Principal and/or Deputy Principal level who may not be serving at present.

One of the posts at Assistant National Co-ordinator level will be devoted to the management of the on-line aspect of the Programme.

Appointments will be on a full-time basis commencing September 1st, 2003.

The Co-ordinators will not be required to be located in Clare Education Centre; they will be required, however, to travel to the Centre and to other locations as necessary.

Applications are now invited for the above positions from the categories in paragraph 2 mentioned above. Selection will be by way of competitive interview and short-listing may apply.

Further information

Application forms and job description can be obtained from the LDS Administrator, Clare Education Centre, Government Offices, Kilrush Road, Ennis, Co. Clare. Tel. 065 6845505, Fax 065 6842930, (e) carinne@ leadership-development-for-schools.ie

Completed application forms should be sent to the LDS Administrator, Clare Education Centre so as to reach the centre by 5 p.m. Wednesday June 11th, 2003

Education Centres are equal opportunity employers. This initiative is being funded by the Government under the National Development Plan 2000-2006 - Your plan Your future.

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