To ask the Minister of Education for his assessment of schools using temporary engagement forms to recruit classroom assistants.

Temporary engagement forms are used by schools to engage staff for emergency cover and can be used for all categories of staff, including classroom assistants.

The temporary engagement process is used to provide cover for sickness absence, or where schools are unable to fill a vacancy via the formal recruitment process. While, in most cases, temporary engagements should not exceed six months, they are occasionally used for longer periods as a result of recruitment difficulties.

The Education Authority has made a bid to the Executive Transformation Fund to establish an emergency register for support staff across education, similar to the supply teacher register, which, along with service reform, should mean that schools only need to use temporary engagement forms in exceptional circumstances.