Conor Lenihan (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)

In July 2010, the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills announced reforms regarding the probation of teachers. She indicated it was her intention to place the responsibility for establishing arrangements for the induction and probation of teachers with the Teaching Council from September 2012, in line with the provisions of the Teaching Council Act. The changes announced also involved the provision of a national induction programme for all teachers. This is important because the provision of supports and advice to newly qualified teachers can make a significant contribution to improving the quality of the teaching profession. The provision of a national induction programme for all teachers who are registered with probationary conditions by the Teaching Council will mean that for the first time all newly qualified teachers will have access to a year-long induction programme to support them in the transition from initial teacher education to full-time teaching.

It was in light of the provision of this induction programme that the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills made changes to the probationary process for primary teachers. Newly qualified primary teachers will continue to have to satisfy service requirements and professional competence requirements in order to gain full registration with the Teaching Council. However, the service requirement has been reduced from 178 days of continuous service, or 300 days of broken service, within five years accumulated service to 170 days within three years from the date of initial registration with the Teaching Council. In addition, in the past that service had to include two periods of at least 60 consecutive school days; from 1 September the requirement will be two periods of 50 consecutive school days. This reduction in the service requirements will facilitate newly qualified teachers who may have difficulty finding regular work.

Given the advice and support provided to these teachers in the induction programme, it has also been possible to alter the inspection of the primary teacher's professional competence. The competence of the teacher will now be inspected over two unannounced inspection visits rather than during one unannounced and one notified inspection visit.

There have been no changes to the service or professional competence requirements of the probationary conditions attaching the registration of post-primary teachers.

See this speech in context