Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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96. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the decrease in the number of school Inspectors, his plans to re-hire retired principals to supervise the probation for teachers to obtain their final qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29479/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Access to the profession of teaching in recognised schools in Ireland is regulated by the Teaching Council. Section 7(2)(f) and Section 7(2)(g) of the Teaching Council Act 2001 were commenced on 1 September 2012, conferring responsibility for induction and probation procedures on the Teaching Council.

Currently the Inspectorate evaluates the professional competence element of probation of teachers in primary schools on behalf of the Teaching Council. The Department has no plans to recruit personnel for this purpose.

Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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97. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the time between when a new teacher is required to register and when they must complete their probation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29481/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Access to the profession of teaching in recognised schools in Ireland is regulated. The Teaching Council is the designated authority for the regulation of the profession. Section 7(2)(f) and Section 7(2)(g) of the Teaching Council Act 2001 were commenced on 1 September 2012, conferring responsibility for induction and probation procedures on the Teaching Council.

The Teaching Council's policy on probation is available on the Council's website. Decisions regarding the development of the probation process in the future will be taken in accordance of the policy currently being developed by the Teaching Council through the Droichead pilot programme.