Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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848. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the Teaching Council membership renewal application for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19703/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with the statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. It acts in the interests of the public good while upholding and enhancing standards in the teaching profession. 

The Teaching Council registers teachers in line with the requirements set out in the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2016. It is a requirement under Section 30 of the Act for teachers to be registered with the Teaching Council in order to receive payment from State funds.

Under Section 34 of the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015, teachers are removed from the Register if they fail to apply for renewal of their registration. As provided in the legislation, where a teacher is removed from the Register, they must make a full application for registration should they wish to return to the Register.

The individual referred to by the Deputy was removed from the Register for non-renewal of registration. The Council has confirmed that numerous communications were issued by email, SMS and post regarding the required renewal registration over several months prior to removal from the register. A list of the methods of communication used are as follows: 

Notice 1 - Renewal notice sent by email

Notice 2 ca 3 weeks after notice 1 - Renewal notice sent by SMS

Notice 3 ca 3 weeks after notice 2 - Renewal notice sent by SMS

Notice 4 (one week after notice 3)  – Final reminder sent by tracked post

Notice 5 (a few days after notice 4) - Notice that renewal overdue sent by SMS

Removal notice issued some three months after notice 5.

I confirm that an application for re-registration to the Teaching Council has been received from the individual in question.  As part of the registration process, applicants must also undergo vetting before registration can be finalised. That vetting has now concluded, and the application has now been processed with the individual now registered again with the Council.

Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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849. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) will receive back pay for the time their application has been processing; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19704/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Individuals employed as teachers in a full-time capacity in recognised schools must be registered with the Teaching Council under Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 to have payment from monies provided by the Oireachtas.

The onus is on all teachers to ensure that they have the necessary Teaching Council registration.

The individual teacher referred to by the Deputy was not registered with the Teaching Council for a period commencing 14th March 2022 to 6th April 2022 and accordingly cannot be paid out of Oireachtas funding during that period.  Staff from the Teaching Council were on six occasions between 20th October 2021 and 14th March 2022 with the teacher concerned regarding the renewal of her registration. The teacher is now registered with the Teaching Council with effect from 7th April 2022 and accordingly will be paid from that date by the Payroll Division of my Department.