Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 723: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when it is expected Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 will be commenced; if amendments to this section of the Act have been formulated to date; if so, the details of planned changes to this section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28971/08]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 737: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of teachers who have formally registered with the Teaching Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28985/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 723 and 737 together.

My Department is working closely with the Teaching Council to ensure that the Council is in a position to fully discharge the relevant functions of the Teaching Council Act in advance of the commencement of the corresponding sections of the Act. As stated in April by my predecessor, it is intended to commence Section 30 of Teaching Council Act later this year. Thereafter only registered teachers will be entitled to be paid on an ongoing or open-ended basis.

I also intend to provide for the use of unregistered personnel where this is a last resort for schools and work is ongoing in my Department to formulate the best manner in which this can be time limited.

The move to mandatory registration of teachers will be an important factor in progressively ensuring a fully qualified and registered teaching cohort. 54,870 teachers are currently registered with the Teaching Council. This figure does not include 3500 teachers (approximately) that have graduated from teacher education programmes in 2008 and are commencing the process of registration this month.