Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 495: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when she will introduce the new provisions of the Teaching Council Act 2001; if she is satisfied that there is a sufficient resource of trained substitute teachers whose work is being done, in some instances, by untrained persons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6234/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Teaching Council Act 2001 provides that "the Act shall come into operation on such day or days as the Minister may appoint by orders or orders either generally or with reference to any particular purpose or provision and different days may be so fixed for different purposes or provisions." Many of the provisions of the Act have come into operation. The Teaching Council has made significant progress on a number of fronts, most notably in establishing and maintaining a register of teachers, processing applications for entrance on to same, determining qualifications for registration, publishing codes of professional conduct for the teaching profession, establishing a research policy, awarding research bursaries, advising the Minister on various matters including the standards of educational qualification required to enter programmes of teacher education, professional development and teacher supply, and promoting the teaching profession generally. Some sections of the Act have not yet been commenced. My Department is working closely with the Teaching Council to ensure that it is in a position to fully discharge the relevant functions in advance of the commencement of the corresponding sections of the Act. The remaining sections will be commenced when it is feasible to do so. My Department continually monitors the situation in relation to retirements, demographics and the many other factors affecting supply and demand of teachers, in the light of system needs and available resources. I am satisfied that my Department will take the necessary steps to enable the future demand and need for teachers to be met. The Deputy might be interested to note that, in this context, my Department approved an additional 210 places for the current intake to the Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Primary), commencing February 2008.