Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I know, but I want to internalise what we are saying. Given that this is a technical issue, it is important that my reply be carefully scripted.

The position is clear. We understand that some people in the mainstream primary, post-primary and post-leaving certificate, PLC, space, such as the gentleman to whom the Deputy referred, have contracts of indefinite duration and are employed in place of teachers. Where such an individual has been employed in an unqualified capacity since 2006, has allowed his or her registration to lapse and has taken no steps to become qualified in the intervening years, it will be a matter for that person to decide whether to take an approved, unpaid leave of absence to gain the necessary qualifications for registration.

As long as he or she remains unregistered, his or her capacity to be paid as a teacher in the public sector will be limited to the kind of short-term unforeseen employment which will be permissible under the ministerial regulations. From 1 April 2013, under the Teaching Council registration regulations 2009, the threshold for entry on the registry will increase in all categories of registration. Since the Department has already set registration as a requirement for employment in the above circulars, this higher threshold applies automatically in terms of employment from 1 April next independently of the section 30 requirements. The commencement of section 30 will reinforce the Department's longstanding position that education in recognised schools funded by the State must be delivered by appropriately regulated professionals. I do not think anybody would argue against that. This position must be maintained in the interests of providing the best possible education for the very students about whom we are talking.

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