Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

441. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills whether he has received correspondence from a person (details supplied) concerning matters relating to teaching probation periods for special education teachers; if so, the reason no response has yet been issued in respect of this correspondence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1770/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Teaching Council is the statutory body with responsibility for professional standards at all stages of the teaching career. It has established standards for post-qualification professional practice, as set out in Droichead, the new model of induction and probation for newly qualified primary and post-primary teachers.  The Droichead programme was the subject of a three-year pilot before it was approved by the Council in March 2016. The programme is being introduced on a phased basis since last September.

During the growth and development phase of Droichead, teachers employed in a special education or restricted setting must avail of the Droichead programme to achieve full registration with the Council.  While a new policy on teacher probation was adopted by the Teaching Council last December, this does not change the requirement for teachers in a special education setting to avail of Droichead.

The INTO issued a directive to its members not to co-operate with or participate in Droichead from 1 July 2016. This directive has prevented newly qualified teachers employed in special education settings from participating in Droichead since September and thereby closed off the registration pathway. I hope the INTO will review its approach.

My Department is also considering the impact of the new policy adopted by the Teaching Council.

A reply to the correspondence has issued to the person concerned.