Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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488. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date in dealing with underperforming teachers; the role the Teaching Council can play; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17563/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Revised arrangements to enable school boards to take appropriate steps to deal with significant difficulties that may arise regarding a teacher's professional competence and/or conduct were negotiated and agreed by the education partners in autumn 2009. These were published in Department Circulars 59/2009 & 60/2009.

Following the commencement of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 and the Education (Amendment) Act 2012, the parties met again to align the procedures with the provisions of these Acts. Circular 0071/2014 issued in October 2014 in that context.

The procedures provide for a staged process whereby boards of management can bring their dissatisfaction with a teacher's work or behaviour to the attention of the teacher and require him/her to engage in steps to bring about improvement. When professional competence issues are raised in this process, the school must put in place an improvement plan and any necessary supports for the teacher and receive reports from the principal on the extent to which the teacher's work is improving. The Revised Procedures are intended to resolve most cases at the school-based informal or formal stages of the procedures. If, however, the school's board remains dissatisfied with the teacher's work, the Revised Procedures provide that the board should request a review of the teacher's work by the Inspectorate. The report from the Inspectorate may be used by the board in its deliberations concerning the teacher's employment.

Under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers in the State.

The 2001 Act is being amended in the Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015 which is currently progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

It is intended that following enactment of the Bill, Part 5 of the Teaching Council Act which deal with fitness to teach will be commenced.

Commencement will enable the Council to investigate complaints against teachers.