Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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590. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she and her Department can investigate, advise and provide a solution to an issue in relation to a teacher (details supplied) at a school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42653/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Firstly, I wish to reassure the Deputy that my Department takes child protection very seriously and considers that the protection and welfare of children is a fundamental responsibility of all involved in the care and education of children. Any concern or allegation of a child protection nature, received by staff in my Department is dealt with in accordance with the Department’s Procedures for responding to Child Protection Concerns which come to the attention of staff employed by the Department of Education.  

My Department has no powers to investigate child protection concerns. Under these procedures the Department does not make any judgment on the concerns which comes to its attention and ensures that the details of the concern reported to the Department are immediately passed on to the relevant authorities, i.e. Tusla-the Child and Family Agency and/or An Garda Síochána, as appropriate. My Department cannot guarantee confidentiality to complainants in such circumstances as the information received must be passed on to the relevant authorities for investigation, including any details of the person reporting the concern.

In that regard, details provided by the Deputy with this question have been passed to Tusla.

The issuing, by my Department of revised Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools in 2017 brought with it an extensive programme of professional development for teachers and school leaders. A fundamental principle of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 is that all schools must keep pupils/students safe from harm while attending the school or while participating in school activities.

My Department plays an important role in the oversight of the child protection procedures for schools. The Inspectorate carries out a range of inspections in all recognised schools. Schools are selected for inclusion in the broader inspection programme using a range of factors and information. Although the Inspectorate has no role in the investigation of individual complaints about schools, all correspondence is noted and it may, together with a range of other information, be considered by the Inspectorate in planning its inspection programme. The Inspectorate does not comment on its future planned inspection programme.

The child protection procedures for primary and post primary schools outline the obligations placed on boards of management, as employers, where an allegation of abuse is made against a member of school personnel. Chapter 7 of the procedures provides specific guidance to schools in relation to the reporting procedures for the concern as well as the protocols in relation to dealing with the employee. In a school context, the most important consideration to be taken into account is the protection of children, and their safety and well-being must be the priority. Each school authority also has a duty and responsibility, as an employer, in respect of its employees.  

Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 provides that the appointment, suspension and dismissal of teachers is the responsibility of boards of management of recognised schools or, where the employer is a person other than a board, by that person. My Department does not have the legal powers to instruct a school to follow a particular course of action regarding individual complaint cases, or to investigate individual complaints. However, procedures have been agreed between management and unions and have been published by my Department to assist Boards of Management/Schools.

In relation to how a parent might pursue a complaint to a school, whereas my Department provides funding and policy direction for schools, my Department, does not have the power to instruct schools to follow a particular course of direction with regard to individual complaint cases.  My Department's role is to clarify for parents and students how their grievances and complaints against schools can be progressed.

Where it is felt that there is cause for complaint, matters would normally be addressed to the individual teacher or school Principal as appropriate.  If matters cannot be resolved at that level then a complaint can be addressed to the school’s Board of Management.  Where a school has a formal complaints procedure in place this should be followed in pursuing any complaint.

In addition responsibility for bullying in schools falls to the level of the individual school.  Each school has an Anti-Bullying Policy and Code of Behaviour (or similar titles) and these are ordinarily accessible on the schools website or should be available from the school.

Where a parent is of the view that a school's board of management has failed to investigate or adequately investigate their complaint, it is open to the parent to raise the matter with the Ombudsman for Children. The Office of the Ombudsman for Children may independently investigate complaints about schools recognised by my Department, provided the parent has firstly and fully followed the school's complaints procedures. The key criterion for any intervention by the Ombudsman for Children is that the administrative actions or non-actions of a school has, or, may have, adversely affected the child.  

The Teaching Council of Ireland also has power to investigate a complaint about a teacher and to conduct fitness to teach inquiries.  Any person, including a member of the public, an employer or teacher may make a complaint about a registered teacher.The Teaching Council has a complaints facility that can be accessed in appropriate cases. Details are available on their website at

Further details on complaints can be found on my Department’s website at  

www.gov.ie/en/policy-information/9bf5d3-inclusive-education/#child-protection-and-safeguarding.

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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591. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers at post-primary level hired for the 2021-2022 academic year. [42654/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment.  The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to schools annually and are available on the Department website. 

The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. 

The current number of post primary teaching posts allocated stands at 31,560.  However, the allocation process for the 2021/22 school year is ongoing and the final allocation will not be known until the Autumn when schools confirm their projected pupil enrolment returns. 

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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592. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary teachers hired for the 2021-2022 academic year. [42655/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment.  The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to schools annually and are available on the Department website. 

The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. 

The current number of teaching posts allocated at primary level is 39,086.  However, the allocation process for the 2021/22 school year is ongoing and the final allocation will not be known until the Autumn when the staffing appeal process has been completed. 

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (Cork South Central, Sinn Fein)
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593. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the projected recruitment of post-primary teachers for each of the years 2022 to 2025. [42656/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Actual recruitment of teachers for the years 2022-2025 is not yet known. Recruitment will be guided by the demand arising from a combination of demographic changes and natural attrition, as described in the report Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2021 – 2038: A Technical Report, as well as Department of Education policy on staffing allocations, as set out annually in the relevant staffing arrangement circulars.