Mr. Tomás Ó Ruairc:

Thar ceann na Comhairle Múinteoireachta, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an gcomhchoiste as an deis seo le soláthar múinteoirí a phlé. Tá roinnt ceisteanna ardaithe ag Teachtaí agus ag Seanadóirí agus tiocfaidh mé ar ais chucu sa seisiún ceisteanna tar éis na ráitis tosaigh ar fad.

The Teaching Council welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the committee's consultation on teacher supply. A number of the members of the committee raised some questions and queries that relate to the council, and I am happy to address them in the question and answer session after all the opening statements have been made. I am joined by the chairperson of the Teaching Council, Ms Noelle Moran, who is a post-primary teacher at St. Jarlath's College in Tuam.

By way of background, the Teaching Council is the statutory professional standards body established to maintain and enhance professional standards in teaching and learning in Ireland. We are responsible for promoting and regulating the profession of teaching under the Teaching Council Act. There are almost 100,000 teachers on the register, which is the largest professional register of its kind in the country. One of our legal functions includes advising the Minister for Education and Skills on teacher supply.

The council has representation from all the education stakeholders, many of whom are here today. These include teachers, principals, school management bodies, teacher unions, parents' councils, nominees of the Minister for Education and Skills and the higher education institutions who offer programmes of initial teacher education, which all nominate members to the Teaching Council in addition to the 16 members elected by the profession itself. We are, therefore, uniquely placed to contribute to discussions and inform decisions on teacher supply.

The Teaching Council has been working on teacher supply for a number of years. At its most recent meeting earlier this year, the council discussed the matter of teacher supply and demand at some length. This was in clear recognition of the serious challenges which schools are facing daily in securing substitute teachers at both primary and post-primary level, as well as the difficulties in filling contract posts and even permanent vacancies in certain subjects at post-primary level.

All stakeholders are united in their serious concern at the profound problems which have emerged and are escalating with regard to teacher supply and demand. We are all looking for a plan of action now. At the most recent consultation with all stakeholders, a number of issues were raised, including the need for supply panels, the resolution of pay equality, casualisation and the hours culture, and a more targeted approach by teacher education programmes to schools’ needs. They need qualified registered teachers in classrooms.

We need a single body or committee to pull all the strands together into a coherent plan. In that light, the Minister’s recent announcement of the establishment of the teacher supply steering group, which will include the Teaching Council, is a positive step forward. It is essential that all stakeholders collaborate with the Department, the council and the Higher Education Authority to chart clear pathways to attractive and sustainable careers for teachers.

The report, Striking the Balance, which we produced on teacher supply in December 2015 in collaboration with the Department and the Higher Education Authority, formed the council’s advice to the Minister. That report has been referenced by a number of speakers and the committee this afternoon. At a consultative forum two weeks ago, there was a resounding consensus that the recommendations of the report be implemented without delay.

The issues relating to teacher supply are abundantly clear. We have many possible solutions. We need to pull back from the crisis which threatens. We in the council are ready to work with the Department and all stakeholders in resolving the teacher supply issue. This will ensure that schools can recruit registered, qualified, high-calibre teachers to meet the needs of all learners. Time is not on our side. The solutions to the problem are there. Let us work together on their implementation.