Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am aware that some schools are currently experiencing challenges in recruiting teachers and I am conscious of the impact this could have on our schools. Newly qualified teachers, NQTs, represent an additional source of supply. More than 3,600 primary and post-primary NQTs are registered with the Teaching Council this year. In May 2021, the Department published an updated technical report - Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2020-2038. The report projects a decrease in demand for primary teachers to 2036 while at post-primary level the downward trend in demand starts from 2024. Work is ongoing to produce projections of post-primary teacher demand and supply on a subject level basis.

The IPPN, in line with the teacher supply action plan, has developed a portal for the recruitment of teachers to long-term teaching positions. The IPPN also operates a sub seeker, which has almost 12,000 teachers registered with it. Significant additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels bringing the total number up to 151 panels.

For the current school year, job sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity and the limit on substitute work applying to teachers on career break has been suspended. Third and fourth year student teachers can now register with the Teaching Council and more than 2,100 student teachers have applied for registration.

At post-primary level, the Department has recently put in place a scheme that allows teachers teach additional hours in their subject area over the usual 22-hour weekly limit, up to a maximum of 20 additional hours per term. Furthermore, retired teachers who maintain their registration can provide substitute cover and the Department has agreed a waiver of abatement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for such teachers. The Department runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers and engages closely with the school management bodies and other education stakeholders.

Higher education institutions, HEIs, have developed new four-year initial teacher education undergraduate programmes in a number of post-primary priority subjects, including Irish, mathematics, computer science and modern foreign languages.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the process for the approval of the intake on the primary bachelor of education, BEd, programme and professional master of education, PME, programme for the 2023-24 academic year has commenced and the State-funded HEIs will be advised of this shortly.

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