Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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112. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will introduce standards for all primary teachers equivalent to the standards that presently apply to post-primary teachers on their probation year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16400/16]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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113. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if newly qualified Irish primary teachers can complete their probation year in other jurisdictions of comparable educational standards, as they can currently do in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16401/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.

The Teaching Council is the statutory body with responsibility for professional standards at all stages of the teaching career. In that context, it has established standards for post-qualification professional practice, as set out in, Droichead, the new model of induction for newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers. The model ensures that the same standards and requirements apply to all teachers who have gained conditional registration with the Teaching Council. The Droichead model was the subject of a three-year pilot, which is now completed. The growth and development phase of Droichead will commence in September 2016 and by 2018 the Droichead model will be available to all newly qualified teachers to enable them to gain full registration with the Teaching Council.

The Teaching Council determines the conditions under which probation of newly qualified teachers may complete probation. Currently the Council reviews probation in other jurisdictions on an individual on a case basis, taking account of comparability of standards, EU directives and regulations with a view to satisfying full registration requirements.