Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 664: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of primary and secondary school teachers registered to teach under the teachers council as against the number who are actually teaching. [4866/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The information requested by the Deputy is not available from my Department payroll databases, however I am given to understand from the Teaching Council that there are currently some 68,000 teachers registered with them.

The managerial authorities of secondary and community/comprehensive schools are advised that all teachers who apply for appointment to permanent, temporary and regular part-time teaching posts must be registered with the Teaching Council and this registration is verified before teachers are placed on my Department's payrolls.

As, you are aware, I have indicated my intention to commence Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act in the near future. I have also indicated that the commencement of the section will provide for it to be regulated that a school may employ unregistered personnel on a time limited basis in exceptional circumstances.

I believe that the above proposed legislative arrangement reflects the situation facing schools today where it is not always possible, for a variety of reasons, to engage a registered teacher for substitution duty.

I intend that this proposed amendment will be facilitated under the Education (Patronage) Bill which is due to be published during the current term of the Oireachtas.