Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria used to establish which subjects will be funded for post-primary teachers who wish to return to college and add a further subject; the last year this was revisited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5827/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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. 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 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.

My Department funds the Teacher Fee Refund Scheme which provides funding towards the cost of course participation and examination fees on successful completion of teacher professional learning courses. The funding is available for courses that are directly relevant and of benefit to schools and that are subject to certification/award by an appropriate accreditation authority recognised by the Department of Education . In the 2023 Circular which deals with refunds for courses completed in the period 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022 one of the priority areas highlighted was upskilling for post primary teachers leading to registration with the Teaching Council in an additional subject, to support teacher supply at post-primary level.

Anne Rabbitte (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is possible for a post-primary teacher who returns to study a further subject to apply for funding in cases in which there is a need by her Department for teachers for certain subjects; if her Department will fund subjects that are outside of the ones currently on offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5828/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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. 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 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.

My Department funds the Teacher Fee Refund Scheme which provides funding towards the cost of course participation and examination fees on successful completion of teacher professional learning courses. The funding is available for courses that are directly relevant and of benefit to schools and that are subject to certification/award by an appropriate accreditation authority recognised by the Department of Education . In the 2023 Circular which deals with refunds for courses completed in the period 1 September 2021 to 31 August 2022 one of the priority areas highlighted was upskilling for post primary teachers leading to registration with the Teaching Council in an additional subject, to support teacher supply at post-primary level.