Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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221. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Teaching Council requires a handbook from the time applicants undertook their studies to complete their applications; his views on the perceived burden this places on persons whose studies were undertaken in the 1970s or 1980s; his further views on the perceived burden this places on educational institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4606/20]

Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. The Teaching Council is the professional standards body for the teaching profession, which promotes and regulates professional standards in teaching. It acts in the interests of the public good while upholding and enhancing standards in the teaching profession.

It is a function of the Council under the Teaching Council Acts (s7(2)) to act as the competent authority for the recognition of qualifications obtained by a person who has applied under this Act for registration as a teacher. A person who has completed teacher education qualifications some time ago and is seeking to register with the Teaching Council must have their qualifications assessed to determine that they are comparable and equivalent to current accredited qualifications in Ireland.