Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Membership of the Teaching Council will be no burden to carry in that regard.

Two of my children are studying to be teachers at present. I hope, in time, they will become registered members of the Teaching Council. That would be a great achievement for them and a great passport in life.

The Teaching Council, established on a statutory basis in 2006, is a welcome and significant development in Irish education. Why do we have a teaching council? The Teaching Council exists to promote public confidence in the profession of teaching. The council is responsible for promoting standards in teaching in the interests of the public good. When we reflect on how important education is for an individual's life chances and well-being, it is clear that teachers play a vital role in society and that the highest standards in teaching are in everyone's interests.

As the Minister said some weeks ago, the profession reached an important milestone with the commencement of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act. Now, all teachers who are paid by the State must be registered. Now, over 87,000 teachers are registered. Teachers can rejoice in this because it sends an important message to parents and the public. Only those teachers who have reached specific standards can be registered and, therefore, be eligible for a salary from the State.

Equally important is the introduction of the Teaching Council disciplinary function, called fitness to teach. It is important that this system is fair to everyone involved. Teachers need to believe that the Teaching Council is supportive of the difficult and important task they perform from day to day and that the council will provide teachers with the necessary supports and ongoing training. The fitness to teach function is not about demonising teachers or replacing disciplinary procedures that already exist at a local level. It is about the Teaching Council investigating complaints that have exhausted all other avenues of resolution. It is about identifying issues of concern with respect to a teacher's professional practice and helping him to address those issues, a point well made by the Minister. It is about providing students, parents, fellow teachers and employers with a formal mechanism.

It is important that we see continual professional development introduced for teachers in time. Following the section 30 commencement, I hope these two measures will follow in the term of this Teaching Council. I understand that the Teaching Council has arranged for registered teachers to have free online access to research. This is an important measure to support teachers in keeping abreast of research and development in education. It should be noted that groups such as the Irish National Teachers Organisation have been providing courses in continual professional development for many years and have done so successfully. Therefore, we are not starting from scratch. I suggest that the Teaching Council engages, consultants and learns from groups such as the INTO, the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland and the Teachers Union of Ireland in this regard when the time comes.

I congratulate the Teaching Council on its Féilte initiative, launched last year, which supports teachers and helps them to learn from each other. This festival of education facilitates teachers talking to each other about innovation in their practice as educators. I am pleased to see that the council is planning another Féilte for October.

The Teaching Council regulates teaching and promotes professionalism in the interests of the public good. I have great admiration for the council. I know that Tomás Ó Ruairc, the current director, and his staff are fully committed to their task. I am aware of the dedication and commitment of teachers at primary, secondary and third level and their high professionalism. I have no doubt that as things develop the Teaching Council will be seen even more fully as a great step forward in giving public recognition to the dedication and professionalism of teachers.