Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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191. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of vacant home economics teacher positions in secondary schools in 2021, 2022 and to date in 2023, by county in tabular form. [5621/23]

Mick Barry (Cork North Central, Solidarity)
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226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of vacancies for home economics teachers in secondary schools; if she will extend the financial supports for those upskilling in mathematics, physics and Spanish to home economics teachers; the criteria used to extend supports to mathematics, physics and Spanish and not to other subjects with large vacancies such as home economics; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5912/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 226 together.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). My Department does not currently collate data on the number of vacant posts per subject in post primary schools, including on a county level basis.

The Steering Group on Teacher Supply was established in 2018 to facilitate multi-agency engagement and to lead on a coordinated programme of actions to support the supply of teachers. Arising from the work of this Group and its various substructures, the Teacher Supply Action Plan was published in November 2018.

The Action Plan called for the development of upskilling programmes in targeted subject areas for existing teachers, and following a request from my Department, the HEA issued a funding call to initial teacher education (ITE) providers for upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish in late 2019. These were identified by the Steering Group as among the most challenging subjects in terms of teacher recruitment. Following the successful completion of the funding call, these programmes commenced in January 2021.

Upskilling programmes are provided over two years on a part-time basis. They are free of cost to participants. The first cohort of participants, approximately 170 teachers, completed the programmes in 2022 and more than 300 teachers are due to finish in 2023. My Department has agreed to extend funding in 2023 and to provide for additional capacity.

Funding for these programmes was put in place following a competitive call to all ITE providers for proposals. It is intended to commence an upskilling programme in Irish in 2023/24 and consideration will be given to extending programmes to other subjects. The allocation of funding for any future programmes will be dependent on a competitive tender process for potential providers.

The Teacher Fee Refund Scheme provides funding to teachers towards the cost of participation and examination fees on successful completion of professional development courses. Funding under the scheme is being prioritised for those taking courses in particular areas, including upskilling for post primary teachers leading to registration with the Teaching Council in an additional subject. The maximum refund under the scheme is €5,000 per year and the level of refund depends on the volume of eligible applications that are received. Department Circulars 0005/2023 and 0015/2021 relate to this Scheme.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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192. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the survey published by an organisation (details supplied) in October 2022, which found that home economics is the second most difficult subject for which to find a teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5622/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 192 and 227 together.

My Department is aware of the survey referred to by the Deputies.

In 2018, my Department established a Steering Group on Teacher Supply to facilitate multi-agency engagement and to lead on a coordinated programme of actions to support the supply of teachers at post-primary level. Arising from the work of this Group and its various substructures, the Teacher Supply Action Plan was published in November 2018.

The Action Plan called for the development of upskilling programmes in targeted subject areas for existing teachers, and following a request from my Department, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) issued a funding call to initial teacher education (ITE) providers for upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish in late 2019. These were identified by the Steering Group as among the most challenging subjects in terms of teacher recruitment. Following the successful completion of the funding call, these programmes commenced in January 2021.

Upskilling programmes are provided over two years on a part-time basis. They are free of cost to participants. The first cohort of participants, approximately 170 teachers, completed these programmes in 2022 and more than 300 teachers are due to graduate in 2023. My Department has agreed to extend funding in 2023 and to provide for additional capacity.

Funding for these programmes was put in place following a competitive call to all initial teacher education providers for proposals. It is intended to commence an upskilling programme in Irish in 2023/24 and consideration will be given to extending programmes to other subjects. The allocation of funding for any future programmes will be dependent on a competitive tender process for potential providers.