Second Level - Teaching Hours and 'Croke Park' Hours

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Teaching Hours and Additional Hours (33 Hours/ ‘Flex’ Hours)

Second Level Teaching Hours
Teachers who are not involved in the delivery of Junior Cycle may be required to teach up to a maximum of 22 hours per week. The maximum weekly teaching hours for those involved in the delivery of Junior Cycle is 21 hours and 20 minutes.

A teacher in an Assistant Principal I post has maximum class contact hours of 18 hours per week if not involved in delivery of Junior Cycle and 17 hours 20 minutes if involved. Maximum teaching hours for principals and deputy principals are set out in a schedule in CL 58/98.

Where a whole-time teacher is asked to travel between 2 or more centres, it is the policy of TUI that travelling time must be allowed in a manner that ensures that the amount of time travelling, together with class contact hours must not exceed 22 hours per week. (A refund of travelling expenses incurred by teachers employed by ETBs may be claimed under DES CL 16/09.)

Additional 33 hours ('Croke Park' hours) – Second Level/Further Education
Under the Public Service Agreement and continued under the Haddington Road Agreement, Lansdowne Road Agreement and Public Service Stability Agreement, an additional 33 hours per annum is required to facilitate, at the discretion of management, school planning, continuing professional development, induction, substitution and supervision (including supervision immediately before and after school times).

These hours must be delivered outside of teacher timetabled hours for class contact and supervision/substitution and in respect of 23 of the 33 hours in tranches of no less than 60 minutes duration. As a result of the acceptance by TUI members of the Department of Education and Skills/TUI agreement in May 2016, a review of the usage of the hours is being undertaken by the unions, the Department of Education and Skills and the management bodies. 

As a first step, the parties agreed that the maximum period of time available for planning and development work on other than a whole-school basis and in tranches of less than 30 minutes was increased’ to 8 hours (of the 33) from the beginning of the 2016/17 school year and by a further 2 hours to 10 (of the 33) from the beginning of the 2017/18 school year, in accordance with the terms agreed under the Haddington Road Agreement as set out in Department Circular 43/2014.


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