Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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313. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of available substitute teachers in County Kildare; his plans to address the serious shortage of available substitute teachers nationwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13406/17]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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My Department does not hold any information on the number of available substitute teachers in any county, including County Kildare.

In overall terms the Department has no evidence of a recent or current general shortage of  teachers, including for substitute positions.  However, I am aware that some schools are experiencing difficulty in recruiting substitute teachers, and I am committed to examining all possible means of addressing this issue.

The Deputy will be aware that a Technical Working Group (TWG) was set up by the Teaching Council to formulate advice on teacher supply. 

The TWG’s interim report identified the significant challenges in developing a model of workforce planning for teachers in Ireland.  It is complex at post primary level because there is currently no central mechanism for matching the overall subject need requirements of schools with output from the education providers and, in addition, schools have significant autonomy in relation to the mix of subjects and choices they provide for students.

The TWG's final Report sets out an approach to planning which scopes out the work necessary to develop a model for teacher supply in the medium to long term.  It recognizes that the implementation of its recommendations will have significant resource implications, including staffing. The Action Plan for Education for 2017 contains commitments to progress the recommendations this year.