Ms Siobhán Healy:

I do not have the exact figures to hand but in terms of the process, when someone applies to the Teaching Council for registration we outline the documentation required in order to finalise the process. There are qualification requirements and we look for certain documentation to evidence that. There is also a vetting piece and certain documentation we need there. From the time we receive all of the required documentation it comes within our control to finalise that application. At the moment our registration timelines for people who qualified in Ireland and came through the standard registration process is four weeks from the time we receive all of the documentation. What is outside our control to a certain extent is the time within applicants will submit all of the required documentation. From our end what we do is make sure we detail in as plain English as possible exactly what is needed and we review our communications to ensure we are very clear in what is needed. When applicants follow up with us we give them the detail around that.

For applications that go on for longer than what the Teaching Council would like, it is usually in the space of waiting for documentation. We cannot finalise registration until we receive evidence of qualification and of character. The average processing times are four weeks for elements that are in our control, but we have a good process to follow up with those who have not sent in all of the required documents.