Written answers

Tuesday, 16 January 2018

Department of Education and Skills

Teacher Recruitment

Photo of Jack ChambersJack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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440. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the shortage of qualified substitute teachers available in primary schools in the Dublin 15 area will be addressed; the efforts under way to address this problem; if his attention has been drawn to the negative impact these shortages are having on staff and pupil morale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1699/18]

Photo of John CurranJohn Curran (Dublin Mid West, Fianna Fail)
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451. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to alleviate the severe shortage of substitute teachers in primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1887/18]

Photo of Richard BrutonRichard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 440 and 451 together.

I am aware that schools have reported difficulties in recruiting substitute teachers at primary level and in certain subjects at post primary level, and I am committed to examining all possible means of addressing these issues.

I have recruited some 2,300 extra permanent, full time new teachers in 2016-2017 and 2,900 extra are being recruited in 2017-2018. All of the 2016-2017 posts have been successfully filled and the process for filling the additional posts in the current year is almost complete. We are successfully filling the posts that we are making available.

The final report of the Technical Working Group on teacher supply, ‘Striking the Balance’ was published on 9th June 2017. While the report focusses on the development of a model of primary teacher supply, the report outlined the work which will be required to establish a long term model of post-primary teacher supply. In October 2017, the Teaching Council, which has an advisory role in this matter, convened a consultative forum on teacher supply with relevant stakeholders with the aim of producing teacher supply proposals and a further meeting is due to take place in the coming weeks which will build on the initial discussions and will further inform our thinking in this matter. 

Regarding issues around finding substitution at primary level, there are strong career opportunities in teaching and the number of permanent full-time positions are currently increasing at over 1,000 per year in 2016/2017 and 2017/2018. This increase in the number of permanent primary school teaching positions is providing strong opportunities for graduates to get permanent jobs.  Due to the additional permanent positions being created, young teachers have greater opportunities to take on permanent positions, and as a result some schools may be experiencing issues in hiring teachers to fill temporary or substitute roles, which arise in schools for a number of reasons, including covering sick leave and career breaks.

I have already undertaken some measures to increase the pool of teachers available to schools in particular to fill short term vacancies. My Department informed all teachers retiring in 2017 that in order to remain eligible for employment in a state funded teaching post for a period of more than five consecutive days or to supervise the State examinations, a teacher must maintain his/her registration with the Teaching Council. My Department also increased the limits for employment while on career break at primary level to a maximum of 90 days in a school year. In addition, as a longer term measure, under my Department’s Gaeltacht Policy, a new Irish-medium B.Ed. (primary teaching) ITE programme is being developed.

We are assessing other policy initiatives to increase the supply of teachers available to primary schools for substitute work and I am committed to examining all possible means to address the issue.

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