Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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521. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that the current minimum number of students for probation of ten students as laid down by the Teaching Council should apply to island schools that cannot meet this criterion; and if she is willing to make an exception to this rule to allow island schools equal opportunity to their mainland counterparts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40143/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority, under the Teaching Council Act 2001, for establishing procedures and criteria for the probation of teachers. All primary teachers must complete their probation successfully before they can achieve full registration with the Teaching Council.

In order to achieve full registration, a teacher's work is evaluated in a mainstream setting where his/her ability to manage a full class, among other criteria, has been satisfactorily demonstrated.

Accordingly, for the purpose of completion of probation for full registration, a newly qualified teacher is expected to teach a mainstream class consisting of 10 or more pupils.

If a newly qualified teacher is unable to complete probation in the time period specified by the Council he/she should apply to the Council for an extension to that period.