Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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There are two standard routes recognised by the Teaching Council to become a primary teacher:

- A four-year undergraduate Bachelor of Education (B. Ed.) programme.

- A two-year post-graduate Professional Master of Education (PME) programme.

The undergraduate/B. Ed. model offers students who are beginning their tertiary education, and wish to pursue a career in teaching, an opportunity to acquire a teaching qualification. In the postgraduate/PME model, a teacher first obtains a qualification in one or more subjects (through an undergraduate degree), and then studies for a further period to gain the professional qualification in teaching.

There are four State-funded Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) providing primary initial teacher education (ITE). Each of these offers both a full time primary ITE undergraduate/B.Ed. and postgraduate/PME programme:

- DCU Institute of Education.

- Marino Institute of Education.

- Maynooth University (Froebel Department of Primary and Early Childhood Education)

- Mary Immaculate College

There is one private provider, Hibernia College, which provides postgraduate (PME) programmes only (primary and post-primary).

The number of students admitted to primary concurrent and consecutive programmes in State-funded HEIs is determined by the Department of Education, having regard to teacher supply and demand issues, and available resources. The legal basis for this is consequent to the Objects set out in the Education Act 1998 and the Minister’s functions in setting national education policy, and planning and co-ordinating the provision of same having regard to available resources. It is very important that we ensure a sufficient supply of teachers, and a significant body of work is undertaken to achieve this.

In May 2021 the Department published the Technical Report: Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2021-2038, which includes projections of teacher demand and supply at a general level to 2038. Based on pupil demographics, the report projects a decrease in demand for primary teachers to 2036, after which it will increase to 2038 (the final year projected). This trend will be driven by decreasing retirements and enrolments out to 2027 and 2034, respectively. The report was published as a working document for consultation with the education stakeholders and its projections do not take account of potential policy measures that might affect teacher demand / supply.

However, the model can be used for scenario testing to assess the impact of proposed measures on teacher demand or supply. It is also important to note that the findings in the report are based on the best available data at the time of preparation. As improved data becomes available it can be fed into the model in order to strengthen the findings.

The intake to the B.Ed. at the State funded HEIs has remained at 1,000 places per year since 1999. The intake to the post graduate courses has varied slightly since its inception. However, over the last number of years, it has remained constant at 200 places.

I wish to advise the Deputy that the process for the approval of the intake on the Primary Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) programme and Professional Master of Education (PME) programme for the 2023/24 academic year has commenced and remains under consideration. Once approved, the State-funded HEIs will be advised of this.

In an upcoming Initial Teacher Education (ITE) policy statement that is being finalised by my Department, we will reconfirm our commitment that the provision of ITE should be informed by the needs of the education system, taking account of all available evidence in relation to teacher supply and demand. My Department also commits to encouraging the development of ITE programmes in priority areas.

As indicated, the numbers approved for the primary ITE programmes have remained stable in recent years. While teacher supply pressures are being experienced in the system at present, there is a strong underlying downward trend in the demand projections at primary level. Measures to address current supply issues have been put in place.