Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the lack of available substitute primary school teachers in County Wicklow; the initiatives that she is supporting to reduce the impact on schools and to increase the number of teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53691/22]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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My Department runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers at primary level.

Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent a new source of supply in 2022/23. In excess of 1,870 primary NQTs have had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council to date in 2022 with further applications being processed.

Significant additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution continue, bringing the total to 610 posts on 151 panels, covering approximately 2,800 schools, including 7 panels based in County Wicklow.

The supply panels work alongside the existing methods of sourcing substitute teachersand schools can also make local arrangements to have their own regular substitutes to call on if needed.

Sub Seeker, a central portal for short-term substitute vacancies, was jointly developed by IPPN / NAPD in accordance with my Department's Teacher Supply Action Plan and launched in December 2019. The portal matches available primary and post-primary teachers with short-term substitute vacancies. Almost 11,800 teachers have registered with Sub Seekerto date.

On a temporary basis for the 2022/23 school year, job sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity during the period they are rostered off, in their own or in other schools

The limits on substitute work applying to teachers on career break have also been temporarily suspended for the 2022/23 school year.

The Teaching Council made regulations allowing for the registration of 3rd and 4th year undergraduate student teachers under a new registration route, Route 5 (Student Teachers). Approximately 1,250 student teachers applied for registration under the first cycle of Route 5 registrations. The second cycle of Route 5 registrations commenced in early October. Once registered with the Teaching Council, student teachers can be employed by a school to cover substitutable vacancies.

The various measures to support teacher supply are underpinned by the Teaching Transformscampaign, which promotes the teaching profession and encourages students to follow a career in teaching. The campaign uses digital, radio and video media, and is supported by a dedicated webpage, www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms .

My Department will continue, with the cooperation of the education partners, to develop and implement measures to address challenges faced by schools and to support the supply of teachers.