Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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316. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the data and rationale for the newly announced changes to online CPD summer courses for teachers, requiring online courses to have eight hours synchronous time, increasing to 15 hours by 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6573/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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317. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if equity of access and childcare issues in a mainly female profession were taken into consideration in deciding to change the requirements for online CPD summer courses for teachers, in order that online courses will have to have 8 hours synchronous time, increasing to 15 hours by 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6574/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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318. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the impact of significantly reduced numbers being able to participate in online CPD summer courses for teachers was taken into consideration in the decision to change the requirements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6575/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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319. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the data on which her Department is basing the preference for synchronous learning in the new requirements for online CPD summer courses for teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6576/23]

Paul Murphy (Dublin South West, RISE)
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320. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the announced changes to online CPD summer courses for teachers, given the discriminatory impact the requirements will have on teachers with caring responsibilities, and the likely reduction in numbers taking the courses that will result; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6577/23]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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324. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the changes proposed by her Department to professional development courses for primary school teachers outside of school time; the impact it is having on teachers; the consultation that was had with an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6618/23]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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347. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet with a group (details supplied) with regard to the proposed changes to professional development courses for teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6953/23]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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348. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of any analysis carried out by her Department with regard to the proposed changes to professional development courses for teachers; if she will provide details of any impact assessment carried out in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6954/23]

Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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349. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of any engagement she or her Department have had with teachers, or teachers’ representative bodies, with regard to the proposed changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6955/23]

Seán Canney (Galway East, Independent)
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351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the difficulty that the changes to summer courses will have for teachers as they now require online courses to have 8 hours synchronous time, increasing to 15 hours by 2025; if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties that this is causing for teachers who have childcare responsibilities during the summer; the rationale for the change; if it will result in fewer teachers being able to access summer courses; if she will reconsider the change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6991/23]

Holly Cairns (Cork South West, Social Democrats)
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378. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that primary school teachers can still avail of online versions of courses during the summer months to contribute to their continuing professional development. [7426/23]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 316 to 319, inclusive, 320, 324, 347 to 349, inclusive, 351 and 378 together.

The summer course programme for teachers contributes to the continuum of teachers’ professional learning, promotes innovation and excellence in teaching, learning and assessment, and is supportive of the goals set out as per the new national priorities. The principal objective of the summer course programme is to improve the learning experiences of teachers and to ensure that their learning has a lasting impact on pupils’ learning outcomes and experiences.

Having considered the findings of a review of the Summer Course Programme my Department introduced some changes to the format of online summer courses. Providers, including the INTO, and teachers have expressed concerns regarding some of these changes and a meeting was held to discuss their concerns further.

Following consideration of the issues raised during the meeting, my Department has decided to adjust the 2023 Summer Course Programme to include the reintroduction of the former asynchronous model as an option for summer 2023. The providers have been advised of these adjustments today. The adjustments will be reflected in a revised 2023 handbook.