Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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581. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills why students training to be teachers can only undertake their teacher probation period in mainstream schools and not in special schools; if she is aware that teacher training colleges do not provide training modules specifically for special schools' teachers; if she is satisfied that training for teachers to work in special schools is appropriate; and her plans to improve the training for these teachers. [46246/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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Under the Teaching Council Act, the Teaching Council, as statutory regulator and standards body for the teaching profession sets criteria and procedures for probation of newly qualified teachers, since 1 September 2012.

Newly qualified teachers are required to undergo a period of post-qualification professional practice before they may be fully registered with the Teaching Council. In the primary sector, this can be done by either completing Probation or Droichead. Both of these processes are available to teachers employed in special education settings as per the Council's procedures. In these settings, the successful completion of either process means that teachers who then wish to work in mainstream settings must complete an additional period of professional practice before achieving full registration.

In relation to the question of modules on special education, I understand from the Council that Inclusive Education (including Special Education, Multiculturalism, Disadvantage etc.) is now a mandatory element of all programmes of Initial Teacher Education in the State. This is a requirement that the Council put in place as part of its Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers. All providers of ITE must meet these requirements in order for their programmes to be accredited by the Council. In relation to the appropriateness of the education provided to student teachers in this area, I am advised that all programmes of ITE have been reconceptualised to meet the Council's criteria and each has been reviewed, for professional accreditation purposes, by an independent expert panel. As Inclusion is one of the strategic priorities identified by Council, this area received considerable attention during the review process, and many reports contained commendations or recommendations relating to same. All 59 primary and post-primary programmes of ITE have received accreditation from the Council and the reports are available on its website.

The extension and reconceptualisation of the programmes of ITE has taken place against a background of a new policy framework since 2011. I refer in particular to my Department's Literacy and Numeracy Strategy of that year, as well as the Council's Policy on the Continuum of Teacher Education. The latter document makes clear that teachers' learning takes place throughout their careers, not just during one particular phase. Given the complexity of the issues relating to Special Education, and the constantly evolving insights into the best approaches arising from ongoing research in the area, it must be noted that the forthcoming framework for teachers' learning from the Council, Cosán, is seeking to develop the national policy framework further. It will recognise that the Continuum offers the best reassurance we can rely on as to the appropriateness of the many ways in which teachers are already seeking to learn about the needs of some of the most vulnerable learners in our society.