Paul McAuliffe (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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393. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address the shortage of substitute teachers; and if she will consider amending the five-day rule in which newly qualified teachers who are not yet registered with the Teaching Council can only teach for five consecutive days on a temporary basis. [23118/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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At this time, the Department is engaging with education partners to ensure that any challenges with regard to filling substitutable vacancies are highlighted. If further measures are required my Department will of course engage with the relevant stakeholders to explore and consider other solutions.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).

In accordance with Department Circular 44/2019 and the Terms and Conditions of Employment for Registered Teachers in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools web book which are available on the Department’s website under www.education.ie, schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers. These also detail a cascade of measures for the recruitment of teachers, prioritising registered teachers over unregistered people.

A number of measures are already in place to support the supply of substitute teachers to schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include the establishment of primary school supply panels nationwide, the relaxation of the rules governing career breaks and job sharing which facilitates teachers on career break to sub and job-sharers to take up additional hours as subs.

The Department is engaging with stakeholders to identify other potential measures to support supply.

In addition, the Teaching Council is communicating with Professional Master of Education (PME) students, via the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), to encourage them to register with the Council and register also their availability with Sub Seeker, the recruitment portal which matches available teachers with substitutable vacancies.